The death toll from floods and landslides in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s east has grown to 203, according to an administrative official.
The province governor revealed late that the preliminary death toll was at least 176.
According to Thomas Bakenga, administrator of Kalehe territory, where the damaged villages are situated, 203 bodies have already been removed from the rubble.
Heavy rainfall in the Kalehe region of South Kivu province on Thursday caused rivers to overflow, causing landslides that engulfed the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi.
In all, several villages were submerged, many houses washed away and fields devastated, when rivers in the region burst their banks due to the heavy rains.
The disaster came two days after floods killed at least 131 people and destroyed thousands of homes in neighbouring Rwanda.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has offered his condolences to the victims of the “catastrophic floods” in Rwanda and DR Congo.
During a visit to Burundi, he declared, “This is yet another illustration of accelerating climate change and its disastrous impact on countries that have done nothing to contribute to global warming.”
According to experts, climate change is causing an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather occurrences.
