Heavy rainfall on Tuesday triggered landslides that caused widespread destruction and claimed the lives of at least 22 people in the central Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), regional authorities reportedly said.
Around 15 houses were swept away by landslides triggered by heavy rains in the city of Kananga, one of the country's most populous areas, the press department of the regional governor reportedly stated.
Among the victims were a woman and her eight children who died in one house, while a father and four children were fatally injured in another building, the media revealed.
The heavy rains, which began overnight and continued until midday, also led to significant property damage, with landslides "swallowed" several houses and destroying a local church. The REGIDESO water collection station was also flooded due to overflowing water, the reports said.
In mid-December, another similar accident occurred in the DRC, when landslides killed at least 15 people in the city in the eastern city of Bukavu, which has been suffering from multiple landslides and building collapses this year, according to the local media.
In early December, Tanzania mourned the deaths of at least 57 people who were reportedly killed in landslides and floods triggered by torrential rains, with many more left trapped under debris.
Tanzania's neighbor, Kenya, was also hit by heavy rains in late November. They caused a state of emergency, killing at least 70 people and forcing more than 36,000 families to flee their homes, according to Kenyan President William Ruto.