Kinshasa Faces Deadly Floods Every Two Years as Climate Intensifies Rainfall

Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is now facing a grim new normal: deadly floods triggered by extreme rainfall could strike every two years as global warming makes such events increasingly common. Scientists have found that this month’s torrential downpours, which caused the N’djili River to overflow and resulted in at least 33 deaths, massive infrastructure damage, and displacement of thousands, are no longer considered rare in today’s climate.

According to researchers, seven-day rainfall spells in Kinshasa have grown about 9–19% more intense since 1960, with the warming world driving more frequent and severe weather extremes. The most recent flooding, which devastated half of Kinshasa’s 26 districts, submerged homes, disrupted main roads, and cut off water supplies, is expected to become a biennial disaster under current warming levels. The vulnerability of the city is further heightened by its population density and large numbers of residents living in flood-prone areas.

Experts working with the World Weather Attribution group note that, although the influence of climate change on the most recent flood could not be calculated directly due to limited data, the pattern lines up with scientific projections for Central Africa. Without significant intervention and adaptation, Kinshasa’s deadly floods are likely to become a recurring crisis as fossil fuel-driven warming continues to intensify heavy rain events.