Heavy rains fell on Kinshasa on Saturday morning, causing significant flooding in several neighborhoods. The storms caused the death of a two-year-old child, Dieumerci, whose body was found in the afternoon after his house collapsed in the Immo Congo neighborhood, located in the commune of Kalamu.

The child's house had collapsed due to the overflowing of the Kalamu River. Dieumerci was with his parents on the roof of the house when the walls collapsed, swept away by the waters. After several hours of searching in a flooded plot, volunteers found his lifeless body, plunging the community into turmoil.

The torrential rains also caused considerable material damage across the city. In Limete, two walls collapsed near 12th Street, but no casualties were reported. Material losses were significant along the Mososo River, where homes and businesses were submerged. According to Nathalie Alamba Feza, mayor of Limete, residents had been ordered to leave these dangerous areas, but many refused to leave despite compensation from the “Kin Elenda” project, designed to rehouse people living near the rivers.

Traffic was severely disrupted, particularly on Lumumba Avenue between Kapela Square and 12th Street, where the overflowing Kalamu River made the area impassable. Motorcycles and tricycles had to change their routes to avoid flooded roads. At Victoire Square in Kalamu commune, pedestrians had to pay to cross flooded areas, a situation that highlights the city's weak drainage infrastructure.

The National Electricity Company (SNEL) was also forced to cut off the power supply in some areas, including in the Funa district of Limete, where one of its stations was flooded. "This cut was made to protect the equipment and avoid any danger," SNEL said in a statement. After several hours, electricity was gradually restored in the affected areas, after inspection of the installations.

In Kimbanseke commune, a house illegally built on a water main was flagged for demolition after authorities noted the risks it posed to several neighbouring neighbourhoods. “This situation puts many households at risk, and demolition is essential to avoid a future catastrophe,” said Jean Nganga, mayor of Kimbanseke.

Given the extent of the damage, a crisis meeting was held at the end of the day, chaired by the governor of Kinshasa, Daniel Bumba. Several emergency measures were announced to respond to the consequences of the floods. The governor ordered the deployment of sanitation equipment in the most affected neighborhoods to clear blocked gutters and facilitate the flow of water.

In addition, strict controls will be carried out to ensure that no new construction is erected in risky areas. In Kimbanseke, the authorities have already started the demolition of some illegally built houses. The situation of drainage infrastructure in the town remains worrying, despite the efforts of the authorities to address it.