Two babies found floating alive days after flood struck Congo

Two babies have been rescued floating on Lake Kivu days after flash floods and landslides devastated the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Kalehe region in the eastern South Kivu province last week, leaving at least 411 people dead, RT TV reported.

The infants were saved separately on Monday in the communities of Bushushu and Nyamukubi, which authorities said were the worst affected by the floods. The flooding began with torrential rains on May 4 and 5.

Videos of the aftermath show the terrible damage inflicted by the floods, including washed-out roads, which RT TV reported was making it difficult to provide aid to the affected areas. The United Nations reports that more than 5,500 people are still missing and estimates that 3,000 homes and six schools have been destroyed or washed away.

Earlier this week, locals told the media that many of the deceased had been buried in mass graves “like pigs,” which prompted the government to send caskets to the affected areas. The number of fatalities is anticipated to increase, according to officials, as efforts to rescue victims and recover bodies continue.

The World Food Programme said on Thursday that 50,000 people urgently require food assistance.