33 killed as floods leave half of Congo’s capital under water

The death toll from flooding that cut access to over half of the Congolese capital of Kinshasa reached 33 as authorities evacuated hundreds of trapped families.

The death toll from flooding that cut access to over half of the Congolese capital of Kinshasa reached 33 as authorities raced Monday to evacuate and support hundreds of families trapped in their homes.

Ten more people were confirmed dead as of Sunday evening, in addition to the 23 people killed the day before, Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani said on state television late Sunday.

Heavy rains began last week, causing the key Ndjili River to overflow on Friday and submerge hundreds of buildings.

While the situation had improved by Monday morning, some access roads remained blocked and vehicular traffic was limited.

Many residents blamed the government for not responding quickly enough to the disaster.