At least 25 killed by heavy rains in eastern DR Congo: local media

Source: Xinhua| 2023-12-27 22:17:30|Editor: huaxia

Photo taken on Dec. 27, 2023 shows houses flooded after heavy rains in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At least 25 people were killed after heavy rains hit Bukavu overnight Tuesday, local media reported on Wednesday. (Str/Xinhua)

KINSHASA, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- At least 25 people were killed after heavy rains hit Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), overnight Tuesday, local media reported on Wednesday.

According to the national television RTNC, bodies have been found in several neighborhoods across the city, and homes have been flooded by rainwater. The casualty is expected to rise.

Last week, at least 20 people were killed in a landslide caused by torrential rains in the village of Kalingi in Mwenga Territory of South Kivu.

In May 2023, in Kalehe Territory of South Kivu, at least 438 bodies were found in areas hit by flooding caused by heavy rains. Local authorities estimated that more than 5,000 people were missing.

Floods and landslides are common in the DRC during the rainy season, which runs from September to May, and often have devastating impacts. ■