2019–2020 Congo River floods
| Date | October 2019–January 2020 |
|---|---|
| Location |
|
| Deaths | 41+ |
The 2019–2020 Congo River floods were the result of heavy rains over the Congo River basin from October 2019 to January 2020 that caused the Congo and Ubangi rivers to overtop their banks.[1][2] The deluge was a one-in-fifty-year event; by December 2019, the Congo River was carrying 70,000 cubic meters of water per second (2.5 million cu ft/s) past Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.[3] The floods and a subsequent November 2019 landslide killed more than 41 people in Kinshasa.[4][5] Over 400,000 people were displaced out of at least 923,000 affected in the DRC.[4] Additionally, the flooding affected over 170,000 people in the Republic of Congo, while the Central African Republic was also impacted.[1]
In January 2020, the flooding resulted in the longest turbidity current ever recorded, when approximately one cubic kilometer (0.24 cu mi) of sand and mud descended for 1,100 kilometers (680 mi) underwater over two days, traveling from the mouth of the Congo River, through the Congo Canyon and across the ocean floor. The current damaged two submarine communications cables, slowing internet traffic between Nigeria and South Africa.[3]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Republic of Congo : Floods Flash Update n°1, 10 December 2019". ReliefWeb. December 10, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
- ^ ReliefWeb's main page for this event. (Republic of Congo).
- ^ Jump up to: a b Amos, Jonathan (June 7, 2021). "Underwater avalanche continued for two whole days". BBC News. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b ReliefWeb's main page for this event. (Democratic Republic of the Congo).
- ^ "Dozens dead as heavy rain pounds DR Congo capital". Al Jazeera. November 26, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
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- 2019 floods
- 2020 floods
- Floods in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Flood stubs