Catholic Bishops in DR Congo Express “spiritual closeness” with Victims of Deadly Floods in Kinshasa

“As shepherds of the people, we welcome the measures taken by the Congolese government and the arrangements put in place to assist and shelter those living in the flooded zones,” CENCO members say.

They also appeal to “humanitarian organizations and to the solidarity of all people of goodwill to support the victims of these disasters.”

“To our brothers and sisters in the areas affected by the floods and landslides, be assured of our compassion and our prayers,” the Catholic Church leaders say.

They implore, “Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Congo, may the Risen Lord heal the wounds of the injured and restore courage and hope to all who have lost their belongings. May He console the bereaved families and grant eternal rest to the victims.”

Residents of Kinshasa are still counting their losses following the floods, a Catholic Priest in the country has said, describing the disaster as having torn the city “into two.”

Fr. Patrick Lonkoy Bolengu, a member of the Mill Hill Missionaries (MHM) in the DRC, shared his firsthand account of the tragedy in an interview with ACI Africa. 

“As a Catholic Priest, I have stood at the bedside of the sick, prayed beside the dying, and walked with the poor. But nothing prepared me for the sorrow I now witness in my beloved city, Kinshasa,” Fr. Bolengu said in a Wednesday, April 9 interview with ACI Africa.

He added, “‎On the morning of Saturday, April 5th, heavy rains poured down from the heavens not as a blessing, but as floods that swallowed homes, claimed lives, and left a trail of anguish across our capital.”

“For two days, Kinshasa was torn in two, its people stranded, helpless, grieving,” the Congolese MHM member said, and added, "Today, 33 of our brothers and sisters have died, 46 are hospitalized, and 2,956 have been forced into temporary shelters.”

He continued, “The cries of children echo through flooded streets. Mothers search for what little remains of their homes. The elderly sit in silence, waiting, some in despair, others in prayer.”

On April 9, Cardinal Ambongo paid a solidarity visit to victims of the deadly floods in Kinshasa, particularly in Ndanu, one of the most severely affected neighborhoods.

The Local Ordinary of Kinshasa, accompanied by members of the Catholic community and numerous volunteers, began his visit at a local parish that had suffered extensive damage. Crumbling walls, ruined furniture, and thick mud illustrated the extent of the devastation.

“We are here to share in the pain of our brothers and sisters, to offer them solidarity and hope in these difficult times,” Cardinal Ambongo said during his tour.

As he moved through the damaged streets of Ndanu, the Cardinal stopped to speak with families who had lost their homes, many partially or completely destroyed by the flooding. 

Survivors shared their grief and stories of loss, but also expressed gratitude and a sense of renewed hope brought by the Cardinal’s presence.

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“It’s a gesture from the heart. He came to share in our suffering, to comfort us. We hope his involvement will inspire political leaders to take concrete action to prevent such tragedies in the future,” one resident said.

In 2024, Congo faced its worst flooding in six decades, according to UNICEF and other United Nations agencies. More than 300 people died, and 280,000 households were displaced. In 2023, more than 400 people died in floods; in 2022, rains and floods killed more than 160.

The flooding devastation finds DRC battling with a growing humanitarian crisis owing to the current incursion of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels, who have made inroads into the Central African nation, with significant gains already made in the mineral-rich Eastern part.

Researchers at Denis Hurley Peace Institute (DHPI) of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) have warned that should the Rwanda-backed invasion continue, DRC risks a “complete breakdown”. 

Amid the challenges, including the seemingly never-ending armed conflicts in the poverty-stricken Plateaux de Bateke, Fr. Bolengu has expressed his commitment to be the voice of the voiceless.