Corpses pile up after nearly 200 killed in Congo floods
At least 200 people have died in flash floods in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday (May 5), after heavy rain destroyed buildings and forced aid workers to gather mud-clad corpses into piles. Red Cross workers in blue scrubs placed bodies on top of each other.
Many had lost clothing and were covered in dirt.
The rainfall in the Kalehe territory in South Kivu province caused rivers to overflow on Thursday (May 4), inundating the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi.
A local civil society member, Kasole Martin, said 227 bodies had been found.
"People are sleeping out in the open, schools and hospitals have been swept away," Martin said.
Dozens of survivors were being treated at a local hospital, after sustaining injuries during the flood. Dr Norbert Walangulu in Kalehe territory's main hospital, said they did not have enough medicine and equipment to properly treat the injured.
"This is an opportunity for us to send a message to everyone, to know that during disasters we must be rescued and helped with consumables."
It's not the first time that residents here have lost loved ones and possession due to heavy rain. Floods and landslides are not uncommon in South Kivu. The last incident of a similar scale in Congo occurred in October 2014, when heavy rainfall destroyed over 700 homes. More than 130 people were reported missing at the time, according to the United Nations.
South Kivu shares a border with Rwanda and was also hit by heavy rains which triggered flooding and landslides this week, killing 130 people and destroying more than 5,000 homes.
Reuters
