South Kivu was hit by deadly floods following torrential rain a week ago. While the government delegation dispatched to the site has made arrangements for the organization of the funeral for the burial of the 120 dead, the total toll is rather alarming: 401 dead have been found and many victims are missing. According to civil society, at least 4,300 people are now missing after the waters overflowed last Thursday.
The natural disaster that took place in the territory of Kahele in South Kivu aroused great emotion and led the government to organize a national mourning. Despite government investigations to determine the causes of the floods, the victims are left alone and distraught. Local authorities and humanitarian organizations are thus hard at work providing disaster relief and trying to prevent new disasters.
It is urgent that a public risk prevention and management policy be put in place to prevent such tragedies from happening again. Local authorities should work with local people to improve road accessibility and sustainable development in the region. Concrete actions must be taken to better prevent and manage risks and support local populations in the event of a disaster.
The Red Cross in the DRC, among other organizations, is committed on all fronts to respond to humanitarian crises and improve the daily lives of local populations. Citizen mobilization also has an important role to play in the implementation of sustainable and effective solutions to fight against the consequences of natural disasters. Solidarity and mutual aid from all are essential elements for South Kivu to recover quickly from this tragedy and to prevent new disasters in the future.