Tens of thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are living in temporary accommodation and waiting for government help after the country experienced its worst flooding in six decades.
Over 300 individuals have lost their lives and over 280,000 households across more than half of the nation have been displaced due to intense rainfall beginning in late November. In addition, over 1,500 schools, 267 health centers, 211 markets, and 146 roads have been affected by the damage.
In January, the authorities announced a hydrological and ecological disaster due to the Congo River surpassing its banks and submerging the city of Kinshasa.
Félix Tshisekedi, the current president of the country, was re-elected for his second term in December following a disputed election. Last week, he instructed his ministers to address the ongoing crisis.
On the previous Saturday, the minister in charge of humanitarian efforts, Modeste Mutinga Mutuishayi, was sent to supervise the dispersal of blankets, pots, and tents to 900 families in the city.
However, according to Jackson Lukungula, a resident of Tshopo province in the north-eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the government has not addressed the issue of flooding and has not provided assistance to affected areas.
The high school in Kisangani is facing overwhelming challenges, with little to no response from the government. Numerous students have had to find alternative routes to school due to severe flooding on their usual paths. Additionally, a Catholic convent has also been affected by the flooding, but neither the central nor provincial government have taken any action.
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Mado Ekembe, a resident of Cité du Fleuve in Kinshasa, a housing community situated on the Congo River, expressed little surprise at the lack of action, stating that they frequently experience flooding without any assistance from the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We hope that our country’s officials would behave similarly to those in neighboring countries, like the Republic of Congo on the opposite side of the Congo River. When a disaster occurs there, government officials respond promptly and provide food and necessary supplies to those affected. However, in our country, the authorities do not take any action. We have never received any assistance or communication from the government when we experienced flooding.
At least seventeen individuals have lost their lives and 320,000 people have been impacted by a flood in the Republic of Congo. The capital city, Brazzaville, is located on the other side of the river from Kinshasa.
The head of operations at the Department of Humanitarian Affairs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jackson Luneno, stated that the needs of the people are still being evaluated due to high water levels and inaccessible roads, making it challenging for officials to reach flooded regions. The department is also awaiting approval from the treasury for an emergency budget.
“Our financial hurdle has also been a challenge. This year, our budget is 2 billion Congolese francs,” stated Luneno.
“Our system for managing humanitarian affairs is still in its early stages. We are collaborating with UN agencies to develop a system for humanitarian interventions that will enable us to be prepared for disasters at all times.”
Japan has donated tents, blankets and mattresses to the relief effort and China has given $100,000 (£78,000) in aid. “We hope others will follow once our teams finish identifying our country’s needs,” Luneno said.
Médecins Sans Frontières, a humanitarian organization, has established a crisis center in Kinshasa. Currently, it has provided medical care to 150 individuals suffering from malaria and 65 individuals with typhoid fever. According to Dago Inagbe, the head of MSF’s mission in Kinshasa, some patients have reported feelings of distress and thoughts of self-harm due to their significant losses.
Emmanuel Yaki, a 70-year-old former mechanic residing in the Kinsuka-Pêcheurs neighborhood of the capital, is currently offering pieces of wood and furniture that float by his property for sale. He recently sold a black wood doorway for 23,000 francs by using a hook to retrieve it. He plans to continue selling wood and planks to other traders.
Many houses in Kinsuka-Pêcheurs were inundated with water. Yaki managed to rescue some of his possessions because his residence has two levels. “We usually deal with flooding at the end of each year, but this time it’s on a much larger scale,” he remarked, collecting plastic bottles that were drifting by his house.
Alice Shabani, age 52, is currently providing shelter for three homeless families. She immediately opened her home to them after hearing their cries for help when their houses were flooded near her property. She empathizes with their situation and says it feels like a personal tragedy.
Shabani reported that the water had reached the boundary of her land and expressed concern that her home could sustain damage if there is further rainfall.
Source: theguardian.com
