Landslide kills at least 12, leaves more than 50 missing in DR Congo

At least 12 people lost their lives and more than 50 are still missing after heavy rain caused a ravine to collapse onto a river in southwest Democratic Republic of Congo, Reuters reported yesterday.

The landslide happened around midday on Saturday in Dibaya Lubwe commune in Kwilu province. It sent a cascade of clay and debris down to the banks of the Kasai River, where a boat was docking and people were washing clothes.

According to local authorities, around 50 people are missing but search operation continues through the clay. They added that chances of finding survivors were thin as the incident had occurred 12 hours prior.

Poor urban planning and weak infrastructure across Congo make communities more vulnerable to extreme rainfall, which is becoming more intense and frequent in Africa due to warming temperatures, according to climate experts.