DR Congo floods death toll surpasses 200

Authorities say 287 dead and 167 others missing after heavy rains caused rivers to overflow in South Kivu province.

The death toll from flooding and landslides in the Democratic Republic of Congo this week has risen to at least 287, according to the government of South Kivu province in the eastern Central African country.

A further 205 people were seriously injured in the flooding caused when rivers overflowed their banks after heavy rainfall on Thursday, while 167 people are reported missing.

President Felix Tshisekedi has declared a day of national mourning on Monday and a team of ministers will travel to the region to coordinate humanitarian aid and disaster management, government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said.

The current rainy season, typical for the South Kivu region, is expected to last until the end of May.

The disaster in eastern DR Congo came two days after floods killed at least 131 people and destroyed thousands of homes in neighboring Rwanda, which lies on the other side of Lake Kivu.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday expressed his condolences to the victims of the “catastrophic floods” in both countries.

“This is yet another illustration of accelerating climate change and its catastrophic impact on countries that have done nothing to contribute to global warming,” he said during a visit to Burundi.

Experts say extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

Last month, a landslide caused by heavy rains killed about 20 people in North Kivu, a province bordering South Kivu.

A huge country the size of continental Western Europe, DR Congo is one of the poorest countries in the world, ravaged by conflict in the east.