The number of confirmed deaths from severe flooding in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, rose to 33 on Monday, as emergency teams worked to evacuate and assist hundreds of residents trapped in their homes.

Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemin Shabani said 10 additional deaths were confirmed as of Sunday evening, adding to the 23 fatalities reported a day earlier. The flooding began after days of heavy rain last week, which caused the Ndjili River to overflow on Friday, inundating vast parts of the city and cutting access to over half of it.

Although water levels began to recede by Monday morning, several key roads remained blocked, limiting traffic flow. Many Kinshasa residents have criticized the government for its delayed response to the disaster. Officials stated that most of the casualties occurred due to collapsing walls as the floods hit.

At least 16 dead in flooding and tornadoes as storms slash from Texas to Ohio

The city’s main road connecting the airport and linking Kinshasa to the rest of the country was heavily damaged, but Governor Daniel Bumba assured that it would reopen to all vehicles within 72 hours.

Floodwaters also disrupted access to drinking water in at least 16 of the city's communes, with water treatment facilities among the damaged infrastructure, the Interior Ministry said.

Authorities have established at least four emergency shelters across Kinshasa to house the displaced, now numbering in the hundreds.

President Félix Tshisekedi was expected to visit affected communities and hospitals treating the injured on Monday.

Massive march storm to bring blizzards, tornadoes, flooding, and fires across US

This disaster echoes a similar tragedy in 2022 when flooding killed more than 100 people in the capital. It also comes as the country grapples with a worsening humanitarian crisis in its eastern region, more than 2,600 kilometers away, where fighting with armed rebel groups has intensified since February.

Source: With input from agency