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
