Homes at risk of being 'swallowed' in Kinshasa - BBC Africa

Gully erosion is an extreme form of soil erosion caused by water, which experts have told the BBC is advancing at a worrying speed. It can cause giant ravines to open up - with sometimes devastating consequences. Cities from Latin America to Africa have been torn apart and their communities destroyed. In 2022, 60 people in Kinshasa were killed during heavy rain as their homes fell into the gully.
Scientists say although erosion is a natural process which occurs over time, we’re seeing more of these giant canyons - and this acceleration is down to human-made activities: deforestation, poor infrastructures in cities and extreme weather patterns due to climate change.
#kinshasa #drc #gullyerosion
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[@jeremybaker7502]

If you cut out all the trees and vegetation then these are the consequences

[@NyanyiC]

It's quite green though. And as the scientist said, it's happening because of the increased rainfall

[@MRU112]

​@NyanyiC I see many palms their roots only go about 35-40 inches deep, other than that many bushes whose root systems also dont go very deep and grasses. Other species of trees have root sytems that can go many many meters. Planting trees with deep roots would prevent the degradation of the slopes. While i believe the government should be helping the locals planting would help immensely.

[@pbs7705]

These situations are the result of poor land management no matter who's in charge!

[@SmilingCoastline-vb9ez]

What mainstream media should be covering

[@ngaburulupana-fiotizenon]

❤Je 2 de 100 de ❤de ma mère je 11h00 de 11h00 1 je 11h00 de 11 11111111111111111 11 11111111111111111 la je 11 11111111111111111 la 11 11111111111111111 de 11 11111111111111111 1 la je vais me 1❤11 la 11h00 11 111111211111111111❤11 11111111111111111 11 11111111111111111 pou 11 11111111111111111 11 11111111111111111 11 11111111111111111 11 11111111111111111 11 11111111111111111 1111❤11 11111111111111111 1 la ❤mo 11 11111111111111111 11111111111111 11 11111111111111111 la 11 11111111111111111 1111111111111111111 mo mo mo 11 11111111111111111 111 pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo 2 pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou 2 mo pou 2 mo pou mo pou mo pou 2 mo 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 pou mo pou 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 mo pou mo pou 11 11111111111111111 mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11 11111111111111111 111 pou 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo 1111111111111 pou mo 2 pou mo pou pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 mo pou mo pou mo 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo pou mo❤

[@kathyinwonderlandl.a.8934]

@@ngaburulupana-fiotizenon yes it’s the 11 th hr. ❤

[@yuvarudra6602]

We PRAY for AFRICA. ❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏

[@LynnWanjala]

Some countries in Africa don't need it I'd appreciate if you mention the countries like Congo, Somalia they need it

[@zoe-ml8cx]

​@@LynnWanjalayea you is one of them that need 🙏 it's climate and time change were seeing you don't get to pray for some and not the other's all we need to do is educate these folks that it's natural accuracies the continental drift it happened before and it will continue to untill the earth is nomore so 🛑 and 🙏 for the earth not just a piece of it

[@LynnWanjala]

@@zoe-ml8cx Pray for the dying people

[@ashestoashes6902]

This is really horrible!😮

[@loumata4070]

The earth has enough of the industrial destruction of a her vegetation. She said enough.

[@cherylm2C6671]

This weather is something new, but perhaps some of the plastic collected for recycling can be used to stabilize the slopes and set up drainage ways to control runoff. The sides of the drainages can be planted with something with deep roots.

[@Aeonshield]

You fight nature you will lose every time.

[@kathyinwonderlandl.a.8934]

Greed is root of all evil

[@locgama3630]

That's not far from house! I can see those erosion from house. I also live in risk zone but the engineer reinforce the ground structure of our street.

[@Aeonshield]

And please, people. It is just called Congo.

[@Vespertilio-Homo]

there's two congos, habibi.

[@LynnWanjala]

Exactly

[@Aeonshield]

Oh well I learned something today

[@kelvinndukuyu7142]

This serves as a reminder that in the eyes of Mother Nature, our significance as human beings is minimal; she remains indifferent to our existence.

[@treefarm3288]

I have a small gully which begins right beside my house, but it is heavily vegetated and I have a compost heap at the head of it. It doesn't change, in spite of heavy rainfall. Congo can perhaps tax mining companies to solve these immediate problems, as well as the longer term solutions of tree planting.

[@andiaforbes8332]

Oh my GOD HAVE MERCY.To lose everything you have is soo difficult.

[@TuneinR]

The soil of kinshasa is extremely sandy. This is dangerous.

[@danielmutiso7385]

Whis country is this?

[@josuekenyero1051]

Dr Congo in Africa

[@cartestgroupoy2441]

So if you use surface water endlessly you end up in situation where you have to think about sea water or it's gonna dry and crack and slide

[@lindiwekubu8846]

This is just so heartbreaking,if possible they must move this is clearly deadly area 😔😔.

[@AhJodie]

Wow!

[@emmad1711]

Greedy rich people cutting down trees causing the others to suffer 😢

[@thirstyhungryforgod3934]

You mean the Congo goverment can't fix this for their people. This's not too big for the goverment to handle.

[@beatamafulu2405]

They are thieves, very busy stealing than doing anything for the people. The worst government that Congo has never had.

[@EnyawYorlig]

What they do to cause that? Cut down all the trees?

[@williamtomkiel8215]

"progress" ???, corruption

[@johnjordan8022]

Yep.

[@NyanyiC]

The trees are there as you can see

[@johnjordan8022]

@@NyanyiC There were a lot more trees that's been removed already. Which is why the ground eroded away. Trees, grass and their roots keeps the surface dirt locked in place.

[@Zero-hl2zy]

God help them 🙏

[@chinookvalley]

Man caused this. Man has to repair it. God is laffing at our hubris.

[@doedias3634]

Its only me & you😢😢😢😢😢

[@noellaboseleka6568]

Congo needs 2 things: 1. A new president 2. Infrastructural reform

[@MaLiArtworks186]

Which country in Africa is this located?

[@richardc1022]

Kinshasa - Democratic Republic of the Congo

[@mariamu1239]

They literally mentioned it 😅😊

[@naturelle1097]

Looks like the grand canyon

[@kristokinkela1815]

Irresponsible government…the result will always be worst. Sad for us.

[@corteztt518]

Only in the DRC where someone would live in a dodgy neighbourhood but wears an expensive suit

[@justinamusyoka4986]

You want a grown man walk naked to portray poverty, they're not even poor with the land.

[@3countylaugh]

Never seen a California neighborhood fire survivor eh? Since your meaning if dodgy is clearly "environmentally impacted".

[@onenrobert8296]

No country in the world is richer than DRC

[@jasintz9245]

@@onenrobert8296but the poorest people

[@onenrobert8296]

@@jasintz9245 yes coz some people deliberately made them poor

[@alexandertsanga]

lets talk about littering. Maybe Mother Nature is Upset of the Plastic Dumping Everywhere

[@CoolTebza-eh7ig]

Cause by this earthquakes of mining sectors we must not runaway fact this world 🌎🌍 was mined all over. Nowadays if it not rain 🌧️☔ it's earthquake this tells you there was a mine there

[@manishalochan]

People must take action to prevent climate change...climate change is major issues but there is a lack of awareness of it ...

[@doedias3634]

Shame, shame... Our leadership who ever it is. We only ve one African continent.

[@SuperMika70]

🙏

[@kathyinwonderlandl.a.8934]

Humans love of money over everything else has caused this all over the world. The oceans are dying too..I feel it’s beyond the tipping point and may be too late.

[@BlackPantherrStudios]

Earthquake 🌍🌎 proof 🧾 infrastructure is needed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for all buildings in West Africa and central Africa 🌍🇧🇯🖤. I love Africa 🌍🇧🇯🖤. Haiti 🇭🇹 historically is part of Africa 🌍🇧🇯🖤. Haiti 🇭🇹 and the African Union must join forces in March 2026. Great educational video.

[@DeathsGarden-oz9gg]

Less concrete more green spaces have bigger yards that don't get water every day or 4 times a week got it. Plant native stuff edible stuff and save money move away keep gardening live life in peace can do 😂🎉.

[@chikondijamali4950]

bizarre

[@SHHoo-yy6lh]

I wanna see New York poverty and camp site... Any news on those poor people sleeping at the streets. They need to get known to global audience... Get help !! New York became slump... Not much news on this.

[@treefarm3288]

PBS recently had good coverage of homelessness in the US. Check it out!

[@chadrickwalker8169]

WHAT COMMON WITH ALL THESE PLAYING THEY TURN THE PLACES INTO A DUMP

[@gmchrisx]

dig for minerals in those gullies and go buy a house in a better neighborhood

[@SherienElBehery]

☹if you just make directed ways for the rain water as the scientist suggested to be directed to a river or a sea🤔or you may make lakes or reservoirs for such water to be used😃afterall avoid building houses in the valley, build them up the mountains & high lands & never on the earth directly, build it high on embedded woods🪵with a suitable length to guard against such crisis😖& may Allah protect you all & keep you safe🤲

[@rchardbalie2895]

Que sauve notre Afrique des malheurs naturels 😂

[@johnnyrhodes9183]

france supposed to help but they want

[@trapstar9968]

Why would France help ?

[@user-rm3ow9sl6b]

Oh a continent called African when; see where some people are staying hmm .

[@justinamusyoka4986]

Think aftermath of slavery and colonization,what do you get ?

[@Wakeup2worship]

Repent for all your sins and the disobedience of your people. Deuteronomy 28:68

[@yahuahyahuwdah1002]

Earth is tilting, these are the last days that the Holy Bible and the Apocrypha Ethiopia Book of Enoch speaks of. Matthew c 23 ad 24. Revelation c 1-22. I The Messiah Christ Jesus Yahshua Yahawashai The Lamb of GODYAHS Holy name-Rev c 1 v 14-15.

[@jamesparker1071]

What's the hold up?

[@barbararigney2039]

YAH Is Angry and Judgment is being fulfilled by Yah's Hand so our people must repent now and ask the Most High Yah for forgiveness HalleluYah.

[@clionahunter-moore5393]

Who freaking cares. My neighbourhood in England is falling apart. Why is my licence fee being spent on this crap ?

[@zeken4413]

Once all their houses wash away and they are left with nothing then the next step is head for Europe and the uk to become a rich football star . That’s why.

[@cecilchance5843]

@zeken4413 ,couldn't have said it better. That's a wake up call for all those complaining

[@MariaMartinez-researcher]

Who knows. Maybe is that silly Christianity thing that somehow became the basis of Western - and British - civilization. "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:36-40, King James Version) Of course, that guy Jesus wasn't talking about your literal neighbor whom you know who he is - because then he put as an example some despicable foreigner who, as everybody in the city had real problems - too many problems as to care about some random guy beaten and bleeding by the road - the foreigner did the most stupid thing ever: he picked up the beaten guy and *paid* for him to be cared for. Not expecting anything in return. How is it that something as stupid as Christianity supposedly became the core of, among others, British culture, given that good people like you couldn't care less about other humans at some distance from themselves? Insane.

[@user-ks2uo3qh7i]

To help educate plebs like you mate

[@gbb82]

😂😂😂😂

[@davidway4259]

better get the shovels out