Mother Nature strikes again. The small town of Lisal, located along the Congo River within the northwestern Mongala province, has suffered an immense tragedy. On Sunday, September 17, a devastating landslide occurred as a result of torrential rainfall; so far at least 17 lives have been lost with many more people still trapped beneath collapsed homes.
This tragedy is a sobering reminder of just how fragile life can be and offers a stark contrast to our day-to-day lives.
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ভারী বৃষ্টিপাত, ভূমিধস! সব শেষ, নিহত ১৭#congo #rain #HeavyRain #HeavyRainfall #landslide #dead #RescueMission #latestnewsupdate— ANM News (@AnmNews) September 18, 2023
Matthieu Mole, president of the civil society organization Forces Vives, described this heartbreaking situation as “A torrential downpour caused a lot of damage, including a landslide that swallowed up several houses” with “the toll is still provisional as bodies are still under the rubble.”
The victims were living in houses constructed at the base of a mountain which proved to be an unfortunate location for their residences given this weekend’s events.
According to United Nations climate experts, “poverty and poor infrastructure have made communities in such areas more vulnerable to extreme weather such as heavy rains, which are becoming more frequent and intense in Africa due to climate change”.
Cesar Limbaya Mbangisa, governor of Mongola Province expressed his condolences to those grieving families affected by this disaster and declared a solemn period mourning lasting three days across the entire province.
He also noted that there is need for heavy machinery to assist in removing debris which could potentially help uncover any potential survivors from underneath all that rubble.
Our hearts go out to those affected by this horrific event, as families have lost loved ones and many are left displaced.
This is a developing story with new details continuing to come in.