Devastating Floods in Congo Claim Hundreds of Lives

Local authorities indicated today, Thursday, that "the Congo River has risen to its highest level in over 60 years, leading to floods across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo, resulting in the deaths of more than 300 people in recent months." In a statement to Reuters, Ferry Moa, a water specialist at the Rivers Authority in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is part of the Ministry of Transport, stated that his office raised the issue of rising water levels at the end of December, warning that "Kinshasa, located on the banks of the river, could be fully affected." He added, "The river level reached 6.20 meters above sea level yesterday, which is just below the recorded level of 6.26 meters in 1961," also noting that "the floods followed heavy and exceptional rainfall within the country." Poor urban planning and weak infrastructure have made some African countries vulnerable to sudden floods after heavy rains, a situation that has become more frequent due to climate change.