Flooding has hit several southern and western parts of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to concordant sources, several dozen people were killed.

First, the flooding of the Ndjili river in Kinshasa following heavy rains blocked traffic between Tshangu and the city center. Several families have spent the night outside since Saturday night. Several families are asking for help from the state.

The road linking Kinshasa to the port city of Matadi is cut off. After the floods, this main supply route to the capital is virtually cut off at the Kasangulu township. This is an important road, as more than 15 million inhabitants of Kinshasa depend on it to transport goods of all kinds. Faced with the risk of damaging the economy, the head of government has ordered emergency work to reopen the road. The Prime Minister’s Office also reported significant human and material damage, without giving any figures as an initial assessment. Local sources provisionally put the death toll at over 30. The toll is set to rise as several families are still on the water, waiting in vain for help. Other victims are still under the rubble of houses that have leaked away, according to a local chief.

Written by Akilimali Chomachoma