Kinshasa Flooding Death Toll Hits 33

The death toll from severe flooding in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has risen to 33, with emergency teams working to rescue and assist hundreds of residents trapped in their homes.

Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani confirmed 10 additional deaths on Monday, bringing the total number of fatalities to 33. The flooding began after heavy rainfall last week caused the Ndjili River to overflow on Friday, submerging large parts of the city and cutting off access to more than half of Kinshasa.

By Monday morning, water levels had begun to recede, but several major roads remained impassable, complicating rescue efforts and slowing traffic. Many residents have expressed frustration over the government's delayed response to the disaster. Officials stated that most of the casualties were caused by collapsing walls as floodwaters surged through the city.

The city's main road, which connects the airport to the rest of the country, was severely damaged, but Governor Daniel Bumba reassured residents that it would reopen to all vehicles within 72 hours.

In addition to the flooding, access to drinking water was disrupted in at least 16 communes, with water treatment plants also affected. Authorities have set up at least four emergency shelters across Kinshasa to accommodate the growing number of displaced individuals, now estimated in the hundreds.

President Félix Tshisekedi is expected to visit the affected communities and hospitals treating the injured later today.

This tragedy follows a similar flooding disaster in 2022, which claimed more than 100 lives in Kinshasa, and comes as the country faces a deepening humanitarian crisis in its eastern region, where intense fighting with armed rebel groups has escalated since February.