New Delhi: At least 17 people were killed late Sunday in landslide following torrential rains in northwestern Congo. Officials fear the death toll from the landslide may rise as rescue teams search for people amid the debris of collapsed houses.
According to Mathieu Moll, president of the civilian organization Forces Wives, the landslide occurred in the town of Lisal in northwestern Mongala province on the banks of the Congo River and hit people living in houses built at the foot of the mountain.
Governor Cesar Limbaya Mbangisa said there was a desperate need for machinery to clear debris from the landslide-hit area and rescue survivors. He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and declared three days of mourning throughout the province.
Mol said, “There has been a lot of damage due to torrential rains and landslides. Many houses have been razed to the ground due to landslides. Many people are still buried under the debris. In such a situation, it is difficult to estimate the actual number of dead.”
