Severe Flooding in Kinshasa Leaves 30 Dead and Displaces Thousands

Torrential rains devastate the DR Congo capital, paralyzing infrastructure and exposing long-standing vulnerabilities in urban planning and drainage systems.

• Torrential rains in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, have killed around 30 people, with victims drowning or crushed by collapsing walls.
• Floodwaters have displaced residents, submerged vehicles, and cut off traffic on National Road 1, the city's main thoroughfare to the airport.
• Many residents were forced to navigate streets by canoe or swim, with water levels reaching up to 1.5 meters in some areas.
• Public frustration is growing over the perceived slow and inadequate government response to the disaster, a recurring issue in past floods.
• Neighboring Kongo-Central province and other parts of Central Africa, including Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, have also experienced extreme weather since April 3.

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