Floods in the capital, Kinshasa, and some provinces have destroyed homes and farmland, as well as schools and other public infrastructure.
“The Secretary-General offers his condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and the people,” Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said in a statementalso wishes the injured a speedy recovery.
A city under water
According to news media, the floods killed more than 120 people and flooded main thoroughfares in the city center, causing several houses to collapse and triggering landslides on hillsides.
Entire neighborhoods have been inundated with muddy waters and torn apart by sinkholes, including the highway linking the capital to the country’s main port, Matadi, news reports have reported.
The government announced three days of national mourning.
country in crisis
The UN humanitarian office has long pointed out that the The Democratic Republic of the Congo remains one of the most complex and protracted humanitarian crises in the world.
This year alone, an estimated 27 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.
Nestled on the Congo River, Kinshasa has seen massive population growth and is one of Africa’s most densely populated capitals, with a population of 15 million.
Many dwellings there are shacks built on flood-prone slopes, and the town suffers from inadequate drainage and sewerage.
stand in solidarity
DRC President Félix Tshisekedi blamed climate change for the disaster, noting that while polluting countries have harmful consequences, his state lacks the resources to protect itself.
Secretary General Antonio Guterres expressed United Nations solidarity with DR Congo as it supports the response.
