Authorities say nearly 50 people died last week in the southwest due to landslides. Disasters linked to heavy rainfall are pushing the Congolese authorities to mobilize populations in order to mitigate the consequences during the next rains until June.
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With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Pascal Mulegwa
After a meeting with other state bodies including the media regulator and the Presidency of the Republic, the National Agency for Meteorology and Satellite Remote Sensing announced “ excessive rain » planned for May and June.
They will fall on twenty cities including the capital Kinshasa, the cities of Goma, Inongo, Kolwezi and Boende with a high probability of ” floods and landslides “.
To avoid disaster, the authorities are launching an appeal asking people to organize “ imperatively » drainage work according to the authorities. People who occupy the coastline and rugged terrain are also asked to evacuate these places.
For civil society, this message reflects the irresponsibility of leaders. “ This press release clearly shows that the power in place has decided to leave the population to their own devices, reacts Bienvenu Matumo, one of the activists of the Lucha citizen movement. The State, supposed to act by dislodging the exposed occupants, compensating some, cleaning rivers and gutters, has disengaged even in defiance of its obligations. This press release must be quickly withdrawn by issuers. While millions of dollars are being embezzled, while the country is collapsing under corruption scandals, we cannot issue such a press release as if to say that the State does not have the means to commit to protecting populations in the face of to such weather forecasts which are frightening from our point of view. »
A press release also criticized by some among the leaders. “ Especially since the State, through its public agents, is itself the author of disorder in the occupation of spaces », Commented an official source.
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