The capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, experienced heavy rains during the night from 12 to 13 December. The rains caused sinkholes, floods and landslides and have claimed 137 lives at the time of writing.
In response to the devastation, the government has declared a 3-day period of national mourning. According to local media, the rains have never before been so devastating and deadly. More victims are expected to be found as search and rescue operations are ongoing.
The rains caused massive destruction and wiped out large sections of the road. Notably, in the southwest municipality of Mitendi, a sinkhole wiped out a highway which connects it to the capital, Kinshasa.
The prime minister announced the road will be closed for 4 to 5 days. Other losses include houses and buildings which were swept away and, most devastating of all, the 137 lives which were lost.
The government has declared a three-day mourning period on the instructions of the President of the Republic.
Speaking on Tuesday in Washington, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, said that his country was not "supported" enough to deal with the damage caused by climate change after the deadly floods in Kinshasa.
Speaking during a meeting with US Home Secretary, Antony Blinken, the Congolese president stated that his country was particularly affected by climate change "but, unfortunately, not sufficiently seen and supported" to deal with it.
"This is really the very example of what we have been deploring and decrying for some time, this accompaniment that must come from the countries that pollute and, unfortunately, cause harmful consequences in our countries that do not have the means to protect themselves from it," he said.
In a statement by the Governor of Kinshasha, Ngobila Mbaka, the Governor offered his condolences to families who have experienced loss and promised for funerals to be covered by the government.
Governor Mbaka used the opportunity to urge citizens to respect urban planning rules and to refrain from building on site where construction is prohibited, as well as to keep trash away from rivers and gutters.
His statement ended with a condemnation of anarchic constructions on the riverbeds and where water is meant to be evacuated.
The floods have caused critics of the government to speak out against poor and rapid urban planning and inadequate waste management and action against those who build on non-build sites.
