Widespread floods destroy more than 1 400 homes, leave 15 people dead and 9 missing in the Republic of Congo

Heavy rain has been affecting most of the Republic of the Congo (also named Congo-Brazzaville) since the rainy season started in September, causing rivers overflow and triggering floods that have resulted in casualties and widespread damage.

The worst affected departments include Likouala, Sangha, Cuvette, and Plateaux in the central-north as well as Kouilou and the capital Brazzaville in the south.¹

15 people were killed, 9 are still missing, more than 6 550 are displaced people, and a total of over 46 650 affected people across the aforementioned departments, as of December 16.

The data collected from the government and Congolese Red Cross agents by December 12 show that 311 houses have been damaged and 1 410 destroyed in Cuvette and Plateaux alone.

In addition, equipment and people were reported missing in all localities.²

15 villages were flooded in the district of Pikounda in the department of Sangha.

The district of Oyo, in Tchikapika and Loboko, bordering respectively the large rivers of Alima and Kouyou, is the most affected.

The affected population is exposed to bad weather, poor hygiene and waterborne diseases due to the lack of clean water, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported.

Heavy flooding has destroyed fields and livestock, drastically reducing livelihoods, it added.

The government declared a state of emergency on November 29.

References:

¹ DG ECHO – December 16, 2021

² Republic of Congo: Floods Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) DREF Operation n° MDRCG018 – IFRC

Featured image: MINISTERE DES AFFAIRES SOCIALES ET DE L'ACTION HUMANITAIRE