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From: Jesse Ferrell (WeatherMatrix) (jesse{at}weathermatrix.net)
Date: Sat Nov 30 2002 - 08:51:46 EST

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Government warns of December/January flooding

KINSHASA, 27 Nov 2002 (IRIN) - Democratic Republic of the Congo Health
Minister Mashako Mamba warned on Tuesday that the capital, Kinshasa, was at
risk from flooding by the River Congo during December 2002 and January 2003
due to expected rainfall.
A technical committee has been organised to warn people living along the
river to be prepared to move in order to avert a catastrophe, and a
evacuation plan has been developed.

"The river level has continued to rise at such a rate that we fear it could
soon surpass the alert level of 520 metres," said Benoit Kebela, a health
ministry official overseeing the contingency plan for possible widespread
human displacement.
Officials said the river had already reached the critical level of 423
metres by Monday, with average daily increases of three to five centimetres.

"Should current trends continue, we are in danger of even surpassing the
level of flooding that caused the displacement of 80,000 Kinshasa residents
in 1999," Kebela said.

A dozen people died and hundreds of others lost their belongings during
those floods.
Health ministry officials fear that between 1.5 million and two million
people could be affected this time - not only by the waters, but also by
outbreaks of malaria, as well as epidemics of cholera and typhoid that
often result from unsanitary conditions during such emergencies.

The communes expected to be most affected include Barumbu, Gombe, Kalamu,
Kinkole, Kinsenso, Kinshasa, Kinsuka/pecheurs, Kintanbo, Limete, Lingwala,
and Masina.

[ENDS]

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