National day of mourning declared in response to deadly floods and rains
The death toll from the severe rainfall that hit eastern regions has risen, with authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo confirming additional fatalities. The government, focusing on South Kivu province, reported a total of 438 confirmed dead after new bodies were located.
“Regrettably, the count has increased again. On Wednesday the tally stood at 412, and by Thursday 26 more bodies had been recovered, bringing the total to 438”, said a government spokesperson at a press briefing. The official, who serves as executive spokesperson and minister for press and communications, emphasized that the figure reflects only the bodies recovered so far and may not capture all missing persons.
There is still no official estimate for those unaccounted for, the spokesperson added.
Heavy rain on the night of Thursday, May 4, in Kalehe territory triggered widespread flooding, landslides, and the sudden overflow of Lake Kivu, creating a dire humanitarian situation.
Local authorities told EFE on Monday that Red Cross teams and volunteers are actively conducting search and rescue operations, working to recover bodies from the rubble and to locate any possible survivors.
National day of mourning in memory of the victims
In response to the tragedy, the Congo government announced a national day of mourning to honor those who lost their lives, including residents from Bushushsu, Nyamukubi, and Chavondo, the hardest hit communities.
The Congolese president issued a statement of condolences on social media, expressing sincere sympathy to the families of the deceased and to all those affected by the torrential rains and the resulting devastation.
In the neighboring province of North Kivu, authorities reported at least eleven fatalities due to landslides caused by the heavy rains in the village of Miringati on the previous night. Updates were provided to EFE by local officials in the Lubero area.
Across the border in Rwanda, authorities confirmed that at least 131 people died during the heavy rains spanning the night of May 2 into May 3, underscoring how the region experienced extreme weather events in a short period.
The shared terrain of eastern DRC and adjacent Rwanda features soils prone to erosion, and the topography—combined with seasonal downpours—can swiftly turn rainfall into damaging floods and landslides. Experts note that this vulnerability is exacerbated by periods of heavy precipitation and the saturation of ground surfaces, which reduce stability and increase the risk of collapses in hillside communities.