Torrential rains killed at least 221 people, damaged tens of thousands of homes, and exposed already vulnerable communities to increased risk of malaria and typhoid, according to the Congolese authorities and medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). The scale of the emergency has underscored the urgent need for improved flood management and response, particularly around the capital, said hydrologist Raphaël Tshimanga at the University of Kinshasa. “The fear is enormous for Kinshasa, which receives the cumulative flow of the entire Congo basin,” he said, adding that high levels of deforestation were also worsening the effect of heavy rains.

SOURCE: BUSINESS DAY LIVE