At least 12 people have been reportedly killed and scores missing after heavy rain triggered a ravine to collapse onto a river in southwest Democratic Republic of Congo, a local official said on Sunday.
The landslide happened Saturday afternoon in Dibaya Lubwe community in Kwilu province.
It unleashed a torrent of clay and debris down to the banks of the Kasai River, where a boat was berthing and people were washing clothes.
Interim provincial Governor Felicien Kiway revealed that twelve bodies have been recovered from the rubble so far. The dead include nine women, three men and a child.
“Around 50 people are missing but we are continuing to search through the clay,” he said. He added that the chances of finding survivors looks slim as the incident had happened 12 hours before.
Officials say the landslide also fell on people shopping at a nearby market.
Congo is often susceptible to incidents like this during heavy rainfall due to poor urban planning and substandard infrastructure.
Experts say warming temperatures across the continent will bring about more rainfall this year.