Congo: Brazzaville to the test of water

Destroyed infrastructure, homeless populations, etc. Although they have not yet caused human casualties, the rains of recent times have been particularly ruthless vis-à-vis Congo-Brazzaville.

The cornice road which adjoins the Congo river in Brazzaville lost part of its sidewalk on Thursday. Bad news, for an infrastructure inaugurated three years ago. The torrential rains that hit the capital have passed there. The populations are in shock.

‘‘ Nowadays, it is the most visited site in Brazzaville. Many people come here because on Sundays, we close this road for tourism. It doesn’t suit us that this collapse happens, ’’ laments Armel Loubahou, taxi driver.

Since October, the start of the great rainy season in the Congo, Brazzaville has had its feet in the water. On a daily basis, people are exposed to floods and other siltation due to torrential rains. Many are forced to flee their homes. Those who still resist struggle to find words to describe their ordeal.

‘‘ There, in our neighborhood when there is rain the houses collapse, there is anything, sand everywhere ‘dépl laments Pavel Bouya, resident of Talangaï, a district north of Brazzaville.

According to residents of the Congolese capital, their city has never experienced such a situation. The accusing index is pointed at climate change. But faced with the magnitude of the drama, some Brazzavillians solicit the action of the State. Those who believe call to prayer.

‘‘ If there are engineers in the Congo, let everyone come to meet this challenge. Otherwise it starts to surprise: houses that have become silted up. It scares the Congolese. We want the Congolese to remain calm. Let those who pray do it because we have never seen this kind of phenomenon in our country. ’Souligne said Alain Mbissa, resident of Ngambio la Base, a district in the south of the Congolese capital.

The Congolese government, with the support of humanitarian agencies, is trying to rescue at least 180,000 people affected by the floods along the Congo and Oubangui rivers (north).

In Brazzaville, the eyes are more and more directed towards the sky. Now, here, the mere presence of black clouds frightens.