UN warns of 'double crisis' in Congo amid mass displacement

Almost 10,000 people have been displaced in Tanganyika province, Democratic Republic of Congo due to severe flooding caused by weeks of torrential rain, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday.

"This unfolding emergency reflects the double crisis facing the DRC, where extreme weather shocks such as flooding compound the suffering caused by ongoing conflict and mass displacement," spokesperson Eujin Byun told reporters at a UN briefing in Geneva.

The Rugumba River has overflowed, inundating large areas of Kalemie and Nyunzu territories, Byun said.

Viral video show homes, schools and agricultural land have been destroyed, leaving thousands without shelter or livelihoods.

"The floods also wiped out key crops like cassava, maize, and peanuts, worsening an already serious food insecurity situation in the country," Byun said.

Stagnant and contaminated floodwaters are raising concerns over the risk of disease outbreaks, with reported cholera cases in the province "already six times higher than during the same period last year."

‘Fleeing violence’

Since January, Tanganyika has received around 50,000 people fleeing violence in South Kivu. Many had been sheltering in now-damaged buildings.

Across four conflict-affected provinces, including South Kivu, North Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika, 2.3 million people face life-threatening hunger, the UNHCR warned.

While the agency and partners are providing emergency aid, "response efforts are hindered by critical funding gaps, leaving thousands without the aid they urgently need."

Byun also spoke about the troubling trend of refugee returns to Congo from Burundi, citing "dire living conditions, including limited access to food, shelter and basic services," despite ongoing conflict.

"Nearly 120,000 people have so far arrived in Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda," she said. "This trend highlights the urgent need for increased support in both host countries and return areas."

According to the spokesperson, the UNHCR has received only 20% of the funding it needs to respond in Congo.