Fifteen people were dead and 14 injured in Angola after a day of torrential rain, local media reported on Sunday. Five more were missing. The death toll climbed in the days that followed.
Benguela Province took the worst of it in the first count: 12 of the dead were there, and 10 of the injured. Luanda, the capital, recorded three deaths and three injuries. One other person was hurt in Huambo. Of the five missing, three were in Luanda and two in Benguela.
Thousands of homes flooded in Luanda
In Luanda the water reached roughly 4,180 homes. Two electrical substations were hit. Streets lay under water, trees came down, and retention basins overflowed. Emergency teams went to Mulenvos, Camama and Cacuaco, the municipalities with the heaviest damage, to assess the losses and help residents.
Later reporting put the toll much higher. Angola’s public broadcaster, Televisão Pública de Angola, citing emergency services, said more than 30 people had died. By that count Benguela, a coastal city, lost 23 people. Six were killed in Luanda, and one person there remained missing. Earlier in April, a report had put the number of dead at 28 across several regions.
Houses in a number of settlements were flooded or destroyed. Roads and water supply systems were damaged, and social infrastructure stopped working normally, according to the African Initiative news agency.
The president speaks
President João Lourenço addressed the country and offered condolences to the families of the victims. He stressed how serious the situation was. “We regret the loss of life, as well as the missing citizens, which compels us to work against time in an effort to find them, rescue them and provide them with medical assistance,” he said.
Authorities said state agencies stood ready to assist those affected, and Lourenço said support for the population remained a priority for the executive.
Sources
- Heavy Rains Kill 15, Leave Dozens Injured and Thousands Displaced in Angola
- More than 30 people killed in Angola due to flooding – African Initiative – news agency
