Over 60 die in Congo flooding amid cholera, continued fighting: UN

United Nations: Amid fighting and disease, deadly floods posed additional dire challenges in South Kivu province of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN humanitarians said.

“Local authorities in South Kivu report that overnight flooding in Fizi territory between May 8-9 killed more than 60 people,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Monday.

“Many people are still missing, and search efforts continue. More than 150 houses were also destroyed, leaving 1,000 people homeless.”

The office said the officials warned that continued heavy rainfall threatens further damage and have issued an urgent appeal for humanitarian assistance. The deluge worsens existing vulnerabilities, where ongoing clashes and a recent surge in cholera cases heighten the risk of a major public health crisis.

OCHA said local authorities convened an emergency meeting in Uvira to coordinate response efforts.

In North Kivu province, the humanitarians said hostilities also continue, and officials report that nine civilians were killed and 50 others injured in an overnight attack in a village of Lubero territory on Wednesday and Thursday.

Further north, in Ituri province, OCHA said assessments by its humanitarian partners indicate that more than 40,000 people arrived in the Fataki and Rety areas of Djugu territory between February and April. The new arrivals were mainly fleeing violence in other regions or returning home from previous displacement during a period of calm.

“The crisis is overwhelming already strained services in these areas, affecting 155,000 people,” OCHA said.

“Humanitarian partners report acute needs across all sectors, including shelter, food and healthcare.”

The office said the world body continues to mobilise assistance despite access constraints and funding gaps, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the World Health Organization, Cholera outbreaks occur regularly in some countries. In others, they are less frequent, and it may be years between outbreaks. Cholera is linked to limited access to safe water, basic sanitation facilities and poor hygiene practices.

This may be due to conflict, population displacement, climate events like cyclones, floods or drought, and lack of investment in maintaining and improving WASH services and infrastructure. Preventing and controlling cholera involves a combination of strengthening surveillance, improving water, sanitation and hygiene, increasing risk communication and community engagement, improving access to quality treatment and implementing oral cholera vaccine campaigns.

–IANS