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Africa – Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo estimate that at least 176 people have lost their lives in the eastern part of the territory due to intense flooding, which has hit the country since May 4. In Rwanda, a neighboring nation, the figure reaches 130 fatalities.
The floods in the Congo were caused by heavy rains last Thursday in the south of the territory, especially in the province of Kalehe. These caused the overflow of rivers near the towns of Bushushu and Nyamukubi.
Robert Masamba, a doctor at Kalehe’s largest hospital, said survivors are seriously injured and keep coming.
“My team and I have not slept. We have received 56 patients, 80% of whom have fractures,” Masamba told Reuters.
Despite the estimate of 176 deaths, which the governor of the South Kivu province, Théo Ngwabidje Kasi, announced last Friday, some civil society organizations in the territory counted up to 227 deaths and dozens of missing people.
Rwanda is going through the same
Torrential rains in recent months have also affected northern and western Rwanda. Government spokesman Alain Mukuralinda mentioned on Thursday that more than 5,000 houses were destroyed, and that the country’s authorities are trying to relocate those affected.
“So far there have been 130 deaths. In addition, there are 77 injured, 36 of them hospitalized. We also have five missing people,” Mukaralinda stressed at a press conference on Thursday.
The Rwandan Prime Minister, Édouard Ngirente, visited the areas affected by the floods on May 4, and mentioned that the search for the bodies was still in progress, since many people could have been buried under the mud, which would cause the death toll to rise.
“These catastrophes were due to flooding and erosion, which caused houses to collapse on top of people,” Ngriente declared during his visit, adding that the national government will send medical supplies, food and personal hygiene items to the affected areas.
The entire region of East Africa has experienced heavy rains since March, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda being the countries most affected by this natural phenomenon.
with Reuters
