Tragedy struck in southwest Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as heavy rains triggered a devastating landslide, claiming the lives of at least 12 individuals and leaving over 50 others unaccounted for. The disaster occurred on Saturday around midday in Dibaya Lubwe commune, located in Kwilu province.

According to reports from local officials and civil society leaders, the landslide caused a ravine to collapse onto the banks of the Kasai River, where a boat was docking and people were engaged in daily activities such as washing clothes.

Interim provincial Governor Felicien Kiway confirmed the grim toll, stating that rescuers had recovered 12 bodies from the rubble. Among the deceased were nine women, three men, and a baby, highlighting the tragic loss of life resulting from the natural disaster.

“Around 50 people are missing but we are continuing to search through the clay,” he said, adding that the chances of finding survivors were thin as the incident had occurred 12 hours prior.

The coordinator of a local civil society group, Arsene Kasiama, said the landslide also fell on people shopping at a market. He gave a death toll of 11, with seven seriously injured survivors and more than 60 people still missing.

Poor urban planning and weak infrastructure across the 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.

Efforts to locate and rescue those still missing are ongoing, with emergency responders and local authorities working tirelessly to search through the debris and provide assistance to affected communities. However, the scale of the landslide and the challenging conditions caused by heavy rains have hindered rescue operations.

As efforts continue to recover and provide support to those affected, authorities are urging vigilance and preparedness in the face of future hazards to mitigate the risk of further tragedies.