DRC Rain that Led to Floods and Casualties Blamed on Climate Change
Heavy rain in the Democratic Republic of Congo has caused a river to overflow, destroying thousands of homes. Local officials blamed climate change for the catastrophe.
Heavy, sudden rainfall caused the Kalamu River in Boma to overflow at the start of the week, killing at least 50 people. Roughly 10,000 people in the western Congolese city were left homeless, according to Mayor Marie-Jose Nsuami.
"We buried 31 bodies on Wednesday and we expect to get about 20 more bodies back today that ended up across the border in Angola," local governor Jacques Mbadu told news agency AFP. The Kalamu River divides Congo and Angola; Boma is located right across the border from Angola.
According to local authorities, more than 1,000 houses were flooded. Parts of the city are still covered in mud, in some places up to a meter deep. Mbadu said authorities were still searching for "more bodies that may be buried in the mud."
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