More than 120 people have been killed in the worst floods in years to hit the Republic of Congo’s capital Kinshasa, authorities said. It came after an overnight downpour that left major roads in the center of Kinshasa, a city of around 15 million people, submerged for hours. The death toll – first estimated at at least 55 – jumped to more than 120 overnight. The government declared three days of national mourning, according to a statement from the office of Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sam Lukonde.
Here are the top news stories about the floods in Congo:
1. Kinshasa city police chief General Sylvano Kasongo told AFP that most of the dead were on the slopes where the landslides occurred.
2. A large landslide occurred in the hilly district of Mont-Ngafula, choking off a key supply route linking the capital to Matadi, a port further down the Congo River and a vital outlet to the Atlantic Ocean.
3. Rescue and search operations are underway, authorities told AFP.
4. The Gombe area – home to government buildings – was also flooded.
5. Located on the Congo River, Kinshasa has seen a huge influx of population in recent years. In November 2019, about 40 people died in floods and landslides in Kinshasa. Mont-Ngafula was one of the worst affected areas.
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