DRC: Tshikapa and Kasaï rivers polluted following toxic substances spill
Kasai River, a tributary of the Congo River.
(Illustrative photo) DR
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), since the end of July, the Tshikapa and Kasaï rivers have been affected by a gradual coloring of their waters which are turning reddish.
Dead fish float on the surface and corpses of aquatic animals, such as hippos, have also been found.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in Kinshasa,
Patient Ligodi
According to the Congolese authorities, this is pollution caused by the dumping, in these rivers, of toxic substances by a diamond processing plant based in the Angolan province of Lunda Norte.
This pollution also affects the Fimi and Kwilu rivers.
The situation is taken seriously, on the Congolese side.
The authorities fear a more serious crisis.
Thus, the Congolese authorities have banned the consumption of fish and other dead animals found in and around these rivers.
Even domestic use of water from these rivers is not recommended.
MP Guy Mafuta is elected from Tshikapa.
He brought the file to Parliament: “
We absolutely have to think about water drilling.
It is necessary to create a distance between the riparian populations and these waters.
The food problem will also arise.
Medication for water-borne diseases should also be considered.
There are already cases of diarrhea and vomiting.
This portends a difficult time for the population
”.
The province of Kasai bears the name of its river, quite a symbol.
What happens with this criminal contamination of its waters is like wresting the Congo River from the towns of Bandaka or Kisangani.
Dead brood fish, it's big a destroyed fish reserve.
pic.twitter.com/x2w1Vxrmic
- 𝐆𝐮𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐚 𝐊𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨 🇨🇩 (@Guymafuta) August 14, 2021
The Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center (CRREBaC), based at the University of Kinshasa, fears greater consequences for the region.
One of them would be groundwater contamination which could have negative effects for several years.
He thus advocates serious studies.
Teams from the Ministry of the Environment have been deployed on the Kasai River and in Kwilu.
On the diplomatic level, Christophe Lutundula, Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs, has initiated contacts with the Angolan authorities and President Félix Tshisekedi has launched an appeal for the solidarity of the international community to come to the aid of populations in danger in the southern part of the country.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
DRC
Environment
Pollution
Angola