Floods in DR Congo: at least 300 dead since December

More than 1.6 million hectares of arable land have been submerged, seriously affecting the livelihoods of local people who depend on agriculture for food. The FAO report highlights that the month of January is a crucial period for agricultural production in the DRC. Floods risk impacting the production of essential food crops such as rice, maize and cassava, threatening the food security of millions of people. As of February 2, humanitarian actors estimate that more than 433,000 households, or 2.19 million people, are affected.Assessments carried out so far by humanitarian partners in some provinces, including South Kivu, Tshopo and the capital Kinshasa, provide a rough estimate of the scale of the crisis : In Kinshasa, more than 11,000 households (or around 79,000 people) were affected. Humanitarian actors have recommended emergency interventions, such as multi-use cash transfer, to meet the needs of affected populations.In South Kivu, more than 20,460 people (3,410 households) have lost their essential goods and are living in precarious conditions in the Kalehe territory.

In addition, 15,000 affected people live either with host families or in collective centers in the Uvira territory, while more than 5,000 other people are affected in the Mwenga territory. In Tshopo province, 20 of 23 health zones were affected by flooding, displacing more than 270,000 people. Seven of the flooded health zones are also facing armed violence.The needs are immense in all areas. Thousands of families have lost everything. Promiscuity in affected areas increases epidemiological risks. The provision of food, shelter, water and health care is a top priority.

The Congolese government has developed a three-month response plan, currently under discussion with humanitarian partners. Discussions with the Government on the identification of priority areas and the most urgent needs based on sectoral response capacities have been completed.

In the provinces affected by the floods, the humanitarian response faces several challenges, including the weak presence of partners in the affected areas and a limited response capacity due to lack of resources.