Torrential rains and flooding devastated Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), over the weekend, leaving homes destroyed and families grieving.
Heavy rains caused the Ndjili River to overflow, triggering floods that devastated the neighborhood of Debonhomme in Kinshasa and resulting in significant destruction.
Residents are now struggling to salvage their belongings after severe floods battered their homes, leaving behind a trail of destruction and despair.
Silvain Kanku is among hundreds of victims who are counting their losses.
"All my household items, money and clothes got destroyed. I only managed to get this suitcase and some shoes. I've lost my savings, food rations, a refrigerator and new chairs. I'm going to have to start life from scratch," he said.
Some parents are grieving deeply, like Bijoux Moyo, who is searching desperately for her missing child.
"I just don't know where all of this will end up. One of my children is still missing. I was told my neighbors got her, but I don't know where they took her," said Moyo.
Civil society leaders have criticized the government for granting permissions to build in unplanned areas, exacerbating the destruction caused by heavy rains.
"Whenever it rains heavily, there is a lot of destruction because of people's failure to respect the norms of urban planning. We Congolese like constructing houses wherever we please. But the government should bear the biggest blame for granting people permission to build in unplanned areas," said Crispin Kobolongo, a civil society leader.
At least 33 people have been confirmed dead following heavy rains that flooded Kinshasa, authorities said early Monday.
Meteorologists forecast continued heavy rainfall in the coming days, raising fears of further destruction in the city of 17 million people.
The DRC's rainy season typically runs from November through May.
Kinshasa floods cause widespread destruction, with residents struggling to recover
China attaches great importance to the development of China-Singapore relations, and is willing to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, promote practical cooperation in various fields, and enhance people-to-people exchanges with Singapore, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when holding talks with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in Beijing.
Noting that over the past year, under the strategic guidance of leaders of the two countries and joint efforts of both sides, the all-round high-quality and future-oriented partnership between China and Singapore has maintained a good momentum, Wang urged the two countries to continue to enhance strategic communication, increase mutual trust, jointly address the ever-emerging global challenges at present, and safeguard the overall situation of regional peace and stability.
Wang said that maintaining the security of global industrial and supply chains and the smooth flow of maritime navigation is in the common interests of the international community, and China is willing to continue to make efforts to this end.
Noting that Singapore is an important ASEAN member and will assume ASEAN's rotating presidency next year, Wang said China expects the Singaporean side to continue playing an active role in promoting China-ASEAN cooperation.
Balakrishnan said Singapore highly values its relations with China, adheres to the one-China policy, and firmly opposes "Taiwan independence."
Singapore is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with China, promote practical cooperation in various fields, carry out key cooperation projects of both sides, and promote regional connectivity, he said.
Singapore is ready to promote greater progress in ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership, support the Global Development Initiative, and uphold multilateralism and free trade, and is willing to work with China to make joint efforts in promoting world peace, development and prosperity, he added.
China ready to promote practical cooperation with Singapore: Chinese FM
