Over 550,000 people in DR Congo affected by floods
Xinhua, March 3, 2016 Adjust font size:
More than 550,000 people have been affected by floods since October last year in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Wednesday.
The revelations were made during the UN's weekly press conference in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.
OCHA said at least eleven of the country's 26 provinces were affected, and Tshopo province was the most affected with close to 400,000 people displaced.
"Last weekend in Tanganyika province, torrential rains caused landslides which destroyed roads. Humanitarian activities were suspended, yet over 64,000 people are in need of humanitarian needs," OCHA Spokesman in DR Congo Sylvestre Mudingayi said.
According to OCHA, the floods have equally destroyed close to 65,000 houses and some 5,000 hectares of farm-land.
"The Congolese authorities, with support from the humanitarian community, have already responded to some needs, especially by providing financial assistance and medical as well as food aid," Sylvestre said.
The spokesman said many of the humanitarian needs for the victims such as foodstuff, household items, blankets and water have not been satisfactorily addressed. Enditem