In makeshift camps outside Kinshasa, families like Cyprien Seka’s are living in limbo after the Democratic Republic of Congo’s worst flooding in 60 years. The Congo River swelled to record levels in December, displacing over 500,000 people and claiming 221 lives. 'We left everything behind,' Seka told reporters, cradling his baby in a crowded tent shared with hundreds of others. 🌧️
Grandmother Pansel Moto Pamba described the nightmare of sleeping outdoors in flooded areas: 'It’s suffocating… you cannot breathe.' Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières warns of rising disease risks like malaria, as 16 provinces struggle with the disaster’s aftermath.
Hydrologist Raphaël Tshimanga sounded the alarm: Deforestation—Congo lost the second-most tree cover globally in 2022—is making floods more devastating. With 83 million people living near major rivers in the Congo basin, he warned: 'What we’ve seen is likely to get worse.' 🌳🔥
As climate patterns shift, experts urge better flood management. For now, displaced families pray for dry land—and a way to rebuild.
