Dozens electrocuted in DR Congo
At least 26 people were electrocuted on Wednesday in two separate accidents after getting into contact with an exposed power cable south-west of the capital Kinshasa.
Government officials said 24 women and two men were killed instantly and another two seriously injured after touching a cable from a fallen power line.
Lyly Tambwe, the commander of the Mont-Ngafula district police said the incidents happened on the same stretch of Matadi-Kibala, under heavy rain that fell on Kinshasa on morning of Wednesday, disrupting power supply but also leaving the cables dangerously hanging in residential areas.
Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde paid tribute to the victims after government spokesman Patrick Muyaya announced the accident. On his Twitter account, the head of the Congolese government wrote: "Women and men lost their lives by electrocution this morning in a terrible accident at the market of Matadi-Kibala following the collapse of the section of the phase conductor caused by the bad weather.
“I share the immense pain of the families. My thoughts are also with all the injured".
Several prominent people also poured in their tributes.
Olive Lembe, wife of former president Joseph Kabila, said she was saddened by the tragedy “I express my solidarity with the families of the victims and pray for the repose of the souls of the missing compatriots. I call for more awareness and responsibility to preserve the lives of Congolese people," she wrote.
President Félix Tshisekedi promised to have the incidents investigated “and those responsible will have to face the law.” Members of the government and the governor of the city of Kinshasa visited the scene of the accident.
