Emergency floods in Republic Democratic of Congo

SAVE LIFE MAKE DIFFERENCE

Bujumbura Burundi 

savelifemakedifference@gmail.com

Project report

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Floods (IFRC, METTELSAT) (ECHO Daily Flash of 23 February 2026)

Very heavy rainfall affected the western Democratic Republic of the Congo (in particular the Kinshasa capital city area) over 19-20 February, causing floods and overflowing rivers that have resulted in casualties and severe damage.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reports, as of 23 February, six fatalities, 99 injured people and a total of more than 24 600 affected people across several communes of the Kinshasa capital city area. In addition, the IFRC also reports an unconfirmed number of destroyed houses.

Over the next 72 hours, moderate rainfall is still forecast over the already affected Kinshasa area.#

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently grappling with a severe humanitarian emergency as catastrophic flooding has struck both the western capital and eastern provinces in early 2026. 

Latest Disaster: Kinshasa (February 2026) 

Widespread Impact: On the night of February 19–20, 2026, torrential rain of "rare intensity" submerged multiple municipalities in Kinshasa, causing rivers to overflow and triggering landslides.

Casualties & Displacement: As of February 23, 2026, the International Federation of Red Crossreported 6 fatalities, 99 injuries, and more than 24,600 people affected.

Ongoing Risk: Meteorologists forecast continued moderate rainfall over the next 72 hours, maintaining a high risk of further flooding and erosion. 

Emergency in Eastern Provinces (February 2026)

Maniema Province: Heavy rains caused the Congo and Ulindi Rivers to burst their banks, leaving more than 2,500 households homeless in Punia territory as of late February.

Infrastructure Damage: The floods have destroyed essential facilities, including schools, health centers, and drinking water sources, while also submerging fish ponds and plantations, triggering an immediate food security crisis.

North Kivu: Earlier in January 2026, a massive landslide in the Rubaya mining area killed over 200 people following heavy rainfall. 

Humanitarian Crisis & Funding Gaps

"Double Crisis": The UN has termed the situation a "double crisis" because climate-driven disasters are hitting populations already displaced by ongoing armed conflict.

Disease Outbreaks: Stagnant water and destroyed sanitation systems have significantly increased the risk of cholera and mpox, which are already at critical levels in the eastern provinces.

Severe Underfunding: seeks $1.4 billion to assist 15 million people, yet as of February 2026, only about 10% of the required funding has been secured. 

 SAVE LIFE MAKE DIFFERENCE since we start our project $131 raised of $26,400 goal

SAVE LIFE MAKE DIFFERENCE

Bujumbura Burundi  24/02/2026

savelifemakedifference@gmail.com        

Save Life Make Difference 

Bujumbura Burundi 

savelifemakedifference@hotmail.com 

71452395

Sub: Project report Emergency floods in Republic Democratic of Congo

Numerous humanitarian and development projects were implemented in response to the extensive flooding in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that began in late 2023 and continued into 2024 and 2025. These projects were coordinated by the Congolese government with support from international organizations, NGOs, and foreign aid agencies. 

Immediate humanitarian response

The initial phase of relief efforts focused on meeting the urgent needs of the affected population, particularly those in and around the capital, Kinshasa, and the eastern province of South Kivu. Key actions included: 

Medical supplies and healthcare: Organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF delivered essential medical equipment and supplies to address health concerns and combat the spread of diseases like cholera, which is a major risk in flood-affected areas.

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH): Aid groups, including CARE and UNICEF, distributed WASH kits containing water containers, soap, and purification tablets. This also involved rehabilitating water points and conducting disinfection efforts to provide safe drinking water.

Emergency shelter and non-food items: In areas where homes were destroyed, partners distributed shelter supplies like tents and plastic sheeting. Many displaced families also took temporary refuge in schools, churches, and stadiums.

Protection for vulnerable populations: Projects prioritized the safety of vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Child protection services were strengthened to prevent family separation and provide psychosocial support.

Needs assessments: Organizations like the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) conducted rapid assessments to determine the scale of the damage and humanitarian needs. 

Medium- to long-term projects

Following the initial emergency, projects shifted focus to early recovery and building long-term resilience to future climate shocks. 

Disaster risk management: The World Bank and the DRC government have collaborated on projects to strengthen the country's disaster risk management (DRM) system, which was fragmented and underdeveloped.

Infrastructure development: The World Bank approved a $200 million project to finance green and gray infrastructure in selected cities, including:

Rehabilitating drainage systems and roads.

Constructing erosion control measures.

Strengthening riverbanks and lakeshores to mitigate flooding.

Early warning systems: Projects aim to establish better warning systems for floods, including automated monitoring equipment and forecasting tools, to give communities more time to prepare for and respond to disasters.

Strengthening urban planning: The projects promote more climate-resilient urban planning by developing risk information tools and hazard maps. Solid waste management systems are also being improved to prevent waste from clogging waterways and exacerbating flooding.

Support for livelihoods: Projects include efforts to restore damaged agricultural land and protect livelihoods, particularly in provinces where extensive cropland was inundated.

Integrated humanitarian approach: Efforts now work to address the multifaceted humanitarian crisis in the DRC, which includes both climate disasters and ongoing conflict, by addressing issues such as food insecurity, health, and protection assistance. 

Coordination and funding

These projects represent a collaborative effort involving a wide range of actors:

Government: The DRC government has initiated its own response and coordinates with international partners.

United Nations: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has allocated millions in emergency funding and coordinates a humanitarian response that involves multiple UN agencies.

International institutions: The World Bank is a key player in funding long-term resilience projects.

Foreign governments:  and others have provided critical aid and funding for the response.

NGOs and local actors: Humanitarian NGOs and local organizations are on the ground delivering aid, including organizations like SAVE LIFE MAKE DIFFERENCE, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and GlobalGiving. 

Save Life Make Difference is facing this lack of money to achieve project for emergency support 

Since we began our projects we have $131 raised of $26,400 needed.

Continue to support our projects together we are to strong 

Salimadi 

Legal representative 

27-10-2025