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The Rugumba River has overflowed, causing widespread flooding across the Kalemie and Nyunzu territories. This disaster has led to the destruction of numerous homes, schools, and agricultural land.
As a result, many individuals are left homeless and without a source of income. Key crops including cassava, maize, and peanuts have been devastated, exacerbating the already critical food insecurity that plagues the nation.
In addition, the stagnant and contaminated waters from the flooding pose significant health risks. There has been a marked increase in reported cholera cases in Tanganyika, which are now six times higher than during the same timeframe last year.
A double crisis
According to UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun, this disastrous situation exemplifies the “double crisis” facing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). People are dealing not only with the impacts of severe weather events but also with ongoing conflict and extensive displacement.
Byun emphasized that “the flooding has impacted a community already under severe strain” during a statement to reporters in Geneva.
Since the beginning of the year, approximately 50,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) have arrived in Tanganyika, fleeing violence from South Kivu. Many of these individuals had been taking refuge in local homes, churches, and schools, all of which have either been damaged or destroyed.
Both Tanganyika and South Kivu are part of a larger group of four eastern provinces significantly affected by ongoing violence and rising hunger fears, impacting around 2.3 million people. The other two provinces experiencing similar crises are North Kivu and Ituri.
Funding shortfall
In response to this escalating humanitarian situation, UNHCR and its partners are striving to provide emergency assistance, including shelter, clean water, food, and medical care. However, they are facing substantial funding shortages, which are hindering their response efforts.
Reports suggest that some Congolese refugees who recently sought safety in Burundi have opted to return to the DRC due to inadequate access to food, shelter, and basic services.
At the same time, an influx of Congolese refugees continues to cross into neighboring countries in search of safety. So far, nearly 120,000 people have arrived in Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda, with over 5,500 entering Uganda in the last week alone.
Byun highlighted the urgent demand for enhanced support in both the host countries and areas of return to address the challenges that returnees and refugees face in neighboring regions. She emphasized the necessity for a coordinated and comprehensive humanitarian response, noting that UNHCR has only received 20 percent of the required funding to support its operations in the DRC.
“The people of the DRC are in dire need of aid, and without timely and adequate intervention, the consequences of this tragic ‘double crisis’ will only deepen,” she cautioned.
Source
news.un.org