The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo Félix Tshisekedi is expected back in Kinshasa this Thursday following a devastating flooding disaster that has claimed more than 120 in the capital, Kinshasa.
Tshisekedi blamed climate change for widespread floods that have killed at least 120 people in the capital, Kinshasa.
The heavy rains, landslides and flooded entire neighbourhoods saw over 1500 homes and roads ripped roads apart.
“The DRC is under pressure but unfortunately it’s not sufficiently heard or supported,” President Felix Tshisekedi told Secretary of State Antony Blinken as they met at a US-Africa summit in Washington.
“Support must come from countries that pollute and unfortunately trigger the harmful consequences in our countries that lack the means to protect themselves,” he said.
According to Health minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani Mbanda who addressed the media that the ministry had counted 141 dead but that the number needed to be cross-checked with other departments.
Kinshasa, which has witnessed rapid development in recent times has a population of some 15 million, and has become increasingly vulnerable to frequent flash flooding.
Blinken offered condolences for the loss of life, saying the flooding was “further evidence of the challenges we are facing with climate and something we need to work on together”.
Despite a series of international conferences, scientists say the planet is far off course from meeting a global goal of limiting warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.