The Congo River, Africa’s second-longest river, has surged to its highest level in over six decades, unleashing catastrophic floods across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Congo, with a death toll exceeding 300. These devastating floods are attributed to a combination of climate change, inadequate urban planning, and fragile infrastructure.
The situation has been exacerbated by the region’s susceptibility to flash floods, driven by increasingly frequent and intense rainfall patterns, a direct consequence of climate change.
Ferry Mowa, a hydrology specialist with the DRC riverways authority, sounded the alarm in late December when he highlighted the soaring water levels. He warned that the entire floodplain of Kinshasa, the capital city nestled along the riverbanks, could be in jeopardy.
On Wednesday, the river’s water level reached a critical 6.20 meters (20.34 feet) above sea level, perilously close to the 1961 record of 6.26 meters. This surge was propelled by exceptionally heavy inland rains.
“It is imperative that people residing along the river take immediate action,” emphasised Mowa.
In Kinshasa, densely populated neighbourhoods have succumbed to the floods, as have communities in over a dozen provinces, as reported by the social affairs ministry. The human toll stands at nearly 300 fatalities, with 300,000 households affected, and tens of thousands of homes reduced to ruins.
Across the river in the Republic of Congo, Brazzaville, the capital, confronts a similar crisis. Floods have claimed at least 17 lives across eight departments, including the capital, impacting over 60,000 households.
Residents have resorted to using makeshift boats to navigate through submerged streets, where water levels have reached the rooftops of some residences. The surging waters have also brought forth a deluge of discarded plastic bottles and debris, further complicating the situation.
Helene, a long-time resident of the Ngaliema municipality in western Kinshasa, lamented, “I’ve lived in this neighbourhood since I was born, and I’ve never experienced such an event, but I don’t have the means to relocate.”
Raphael Tshimanga Muamba, director of a Congo Basin research centre in the DRC, has called for the establishment of a fund to manage natural disasters and enhance climate change adaptation measures. He underscored that the DRC currently lacks a comprehensive flood disaster prevention plan.
Amidst this crisis, young climate activist Ketsia Passou, aged 18, expressed astonishment at the authorities’ silence regarding the suffering of affected families. “What surprises me the most is the silence of the authorities in helping these families who are suffering the effects of climate change,” said Passou.
Modeste Mutinga, DRC’s social and humanitarian affairs minister, has indicated that a meeting will convene on Thursday to evaluate the need for further humanitarian aid.
