Environment & Climate ChangeHumanitarian CrisesNews

2 Dead, 73 Villages Flooded In Congo Brazzaville

At least two people have been confirmed dead and 73 villages swept under water in violent floods following torrential rains in Congo Brazzaville’s Likouala division. The dead are a woman and her son who died in Betou.

Some of the villages seriously affected include Impfondo, Epena, Liranga and Betou where destruction is estimated to be in  millions of CFA francs.

Besides household property, farms which constitute the main source of livelihood for the populations were destroyed and roads blocked by fallen trees. Muddy water torrents still block circulation and the River Oubangui has burst its banks.

“I have lost everything. We can no longer stay here. What destruction!, ” a 30-year-old resident of Epena who refused to disclose his name told HumAngle on Tuesday.


“Everybody is under shock because the floods were very violent. There has been too much destruction, so many broken things and structures lying on the ground, ” a local politician who pleaded anonymity,  shouted in agony.

With fallen trees and mud blocking the roads, humanitarian assistance is slow in reaching the affected populations.

There has so far been no headcount of displaced persons but the number from the affected villages would surely be in the thousands, most of whom are currently taking refuge in the bush.

Hundreds of other affected families have invaded neighbouring villages which are yet to be affected by the floods.

“Even the figure of two dead remains provisional as humanitarian assistance experts are yet to penetrate the affected villages and verify from abandoned houses whether all the old and children can be accounted for. There is surely going to be an increase in the number of deaths, ” the local official said.


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Chief Bisong Etahoben

Chief Bisong Etahoben is a Cameroonian investigative journalist and traditional ruler. He writes for international media and has participated in several transnational investigations. Etahoben won the first-ever Cameroon Investigative Journalist Award in 1992. He serves as a member of a number of international investigative journalism professional bodies including the Forum for African Investigative Reporters (FAIR). He is HumAngle's Francophone and Central Africa editor.

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