Heavy rains in dry season in Kinshasa kill at least 29

At least 29 people have been killed in flood waters and landslides in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, following unusually heavy rains in the dry season, the interior ministry has said.

Homes were swept away, roads were flooded, and widespread power cuts were recorded as a third of the city was affected by the downpour.

DR Congo’s meteorological agency Mettelsat said that 90mm (3.5in) of rain was recorded on Saturday morning – higher than on any single day during the rainy season that lasts from November to May.

Experts say the heavy rains are being fuelled by climate change. The consequences are devastating because of a lack of urban planning and proper drainage.

Kinshasa sits on the Congo river, which is one of the longest in the world and stretches across the country.

Many residents of the capital live in poorly built homes, or near areas prone to flooding, as its population grows with an influx of people from other parts of the country.

Kinshasa’s population is estimated to be nearing18 million – an increase of more than 4% from 2024, according to Macrotrends.

Interior Minister Shabani Lukoo chaired a crisis meeting to coordinate the government’s flood response, the interior ministry said in a statement.

The government extended its condolences to bereaved families, and would cover the funeral expenses of the 29 people who died, it added.

More than 100 people died in flash floods in eastern DR Congo’s South Kivu region in May, and more than 30 in Kinshasa in April.