“Congo Declares State of Emergency due to Devastating Floods and Landslides”

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"Congo Declares State of Emergency due to Devastating Floods and Landslides"

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A state of humanitarian emergency has been declared in the Republic of Congo due to flooding caused by heavy rains persisting for over a month.

The government has also announced the allocation of an emergency fund estimated at $4 million to assist disaster victims and address the damage caused by flooding in several departments. While civil society has welcomed this decision, people on the ground are eager for action.

One flood victim expressed concern, stating, “This year, for example, the erosion has already reached 150 meters from where you can see the pipes. It’s only been two months since November, and many parents have lost their lives due to this erosion.”

Throughout the country, more than 360 villages and 36 districts have been affected by flooding, impacting over 320,000 individuals. The death toll stands at 17, with 6 people still missing. Urban planners are alarmed by the magnitude of the disaster and are calling for collective responsibility.

Jean Felis Demba-Ntelo, an architect, urban planner, and former Minister of Public Works, commented on the situation, saying, “We foresaw these problems when planning the cities of Brazzaville and Pointe Noire. In the 1980s, we anticipated these issues and warned that if we allowed anarchy, we would witness this phenomenon.” He emphasized the need for greater resources and public awareness to address the scale of the problem.

People are taking measures to reduce the risk of landslides, especially as meteorologists predict continued rainfall in the coming months.