Heavy rains leave 600 homeless in Kisangani

Heavy rains in the city of Kisangani, northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, have caused havoc in Mangobo Commune, near the Simi-Simi airport, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Thursday.

Some 30 mud houses have been destroyed; with others sustaining major damage, and about 600 people have been left homeless.

The situation had been worsened by the loss of electricity on Sunday, but which was restored on Thursday.

"Wells have been flooded and contaminated by latrines," OCHA reported. "The risk of waterborne disease is obvious. The homeless have been given shelter by neighbours or family members."

OCHA said the neighbourhood had no drainage system, resulting in flooding, despite the fact that rainfall was nowhere close to the amount that had in the past caused major flooding in Kisangani, such as in December 1997.

In addition to OCHA, which is helping to coordinate humanitarian response to the crisis, other agencies involved include the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has provided a number of water bladders; the UN Children's Fund, which was preparing to distribute water purification tablets, jerrycans, blankets, and other non-food items; and the UN World Food Programme, which was preparing to distribute food rations to both the displaced and their host families.

Local authorities, meanwhile, have prohibited residents from remaining in damaged homes, and have convened a crisis committee to monitor the situation.