Local authorities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have reported that an additional 40 individuals have lost their lives due to heavy rainfall and subsequent floods and landslides. In Bukavu, onlookers witnessed a group of men retrieving a woman’s body from underneath a car that had been submerged in mud.

The death toll in Bukavu stands at 20, while another 20 lives were claimed in the nearby village of Burinyi. Yvonne Mukupi, a resident of Bukavu, shared that her neighbor was swept away by the floodwaters, and although three bodies have been recovered, others remain missing.

The vulnerability of communities like Mukupi’s to extreme rainfall is exacerbated by poor urban planning and weak infrastructure, making them more susceptible to the effects of climate change.

United Nations climate experts have noted that Africa is experiencing more intense and frequent rainfall due to rising temperatures. Emmanuel Majivuno Kalimba, an official in Bukavu, explained that the main waterway often gets flooded and affects houses due to waste clogging the drainage system.

This recent devastation follows the tragic loss of 22 lives in Kasai-Central province when a landslide engulfed houses, churches, and roads, leaving families homeless.