Recent torrential rains and flooding in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Tanganyika province forced nearly 10,000 people from their homes. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says the situation reflects a “double crisis” where people are confronting weather shocks on top of ongoing conflict and mass displacement.
“The flooding has hit a community already under severe strain since January,” UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun told the press. “Tanganyika has received around 50,000 internally displaced people fleeing violence in South Kivu. Many had been sheltering in local homes, churches, and schools – now damaged or destroyed.”
UNHCR says that in addition to displacing thousands, the floods washed away many residents’ livelihoods. Key crops such as cassava, maize, and peanuts are wiped out, adding food insecurity to an already long list of challenges in the country. Stagnant and contaminated floodwaters have raised concerns over the risk of disease outbreaks. Reported cholera cases in Tanganyika are already six times higher than during the same period last year.
According to the UNHCR, reports also indicate that some Congolese refugees who recently fled to Burundi have since returned to DR Congo, where there is limited access to food, shelter, and basic services, further compounding the humanitarian situation.
UNHCR and its partners provide emergency support, including shelter, clean water, food, and medical care, but critical funding gaps hinder the response.
Byun says UNHCR has only received 20 per cent of the funding required for its operations in the DR Congo.
“The people of the DRC are in dire need of aid, and without timely and adequate intervention, the consequences of this tragic ‘double crisis’ will only deepen,” she warned.
Story compiled with assistance from UN News
