Hundreds of casualties have been reported as the Congo River reaches a record height, causing widespread floods in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Congo Republic.
Authorities state that the flood, the highest in over three decades, has claimed over 300 lives in recent months.
Increasingly frequent heavy rains, attributed to climate change, make several African nations vulnerable to flash floods due to inadequate urban planning and infrastructure.
Hydrology specialist Ferry Mowa warns that the entire flood plain of DR Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, located along the riverbanks, is at risk.
The Congo River, just shy of the 1961 record, reached 6.20 meters above sea level.
Urgent evacuation is stressed by Mowa to safeguard residents.
The social affairs ministry reports flooding in villages across provinces, affecting 300,000 households and resulting in nearly 300 deaths, with tens of thousands of houses destroyed.
