Kinshasa, September 3rd, 2026 (CPA). – The residents of high-risk areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been warned by the Head of the Technical Department at the National Agency for Meteorology and Satellite Remote Sensing (Metelsat), on Thursday to CPA, to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves against natural disasters as the rainy season approaches.
“We are informing the Congolese public that the average start date for the rainy season in the city of Kinshasa is forecast to be September 20th, 2026, with a margin of error of 7 days. We urge residents of high-risk areas to take the necessary precautions now to protect themselves against potential natural disasters,” has declared Augustin Tagisabo, head of the technical department at Metelsat. Mr Tagisabo has indicated that the trend will be normal, adding that the eastern part of the country will experience heavier rainfall than the west.
This specialist agency is urging the affected populations to seek shelter and, if necessary, to leave particularly dangerous areas before the heavy rains arrive. “We must not wait for the rain; we need to prepare in advance and take action now. Preparation must take precedence over waiting for the first rain. People living in flood-prone areas, high-risk areas and areas prone to landslides must prepare before the rainy season arrives. Because once the rains come, it will be rather difficult. We must take the necessary steps to avoid falling victim to natural disasters,” he has warned.
According to him, in Kongo-Central, the return of the rains is forecast for around October 10th, whilst the Greater Bandundu area has already been affected since the end of August. “The provinces of Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu and Kasai are already in the early stages of the rainy season, which is already affecting some areas. The trend for the rainy season will be above average in the eastern part of the country due to the effects of the active El Niño event in the Pacific Ocean, whilst it will be normal to below average in the rest of the country,” has explained the head of the technical department. Metelsat has therefore urged the public to keep a close eye on weather forecasts in order to better prepare for the forecast weather conditions. CPA/