UN and partners restore water supply after volcanic eruption in DRC

Without access to safe water and sanitation, children and families are at heightened risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera.

CAPE TOWN, June 8 (ANA) – The United Nations Children’s Fund and its partners are working to restore water supply to thousands of people, including children, affected by a volcanic eruption in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), UN News reported on Monday.

According to UNICEF, roughly 200,000 people including some 100,000 children were affected by the volcanic eruption last month in Goma. The eruption of Mount Nyiragongo on May 22 melted main water pipes and damaged a huge reservoir, the agency said.

Without access to safe water and sanitation, children and families are at heightened risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera, UNICEF emergency specialist In Hye Sung said.

“Cholera is particularly dangerous for the very young, the very old and the undernourished, so an outbreak could have disastrous consequences for children,” said Sung.

“Children under age five have the highest incidence of cholera and are more likely to die from it, so it’s critical we ensure that families have access to safe water as soon as possible.”

Thirty people were killed and some 3,500 others lost their homes when the volcano erupted.

Scores of people fled Goma for neighbouring towns, either because their homes were destroyed by lava or the authorities advised them to leave over fears of another eruption.

Together with domestic and international partners, UNICEF is working to resolve the water crisis, including through technical support to the state-owned water utility.

Given that previous cholera epidemics in Goma started when residents collected dirty contaminated water for drinking, UNICEF has installed 15 emergency station chlorination points close to Lake Kivu.

The DRC government said it would start a phased return of residents who fled Goma in the aftermath of the volcano, broadcaster Al Jazeera reported on Monday.

“Today, we decided on the progressive return of displaced people in line with a plan which will be issued by the military governor,” it quoted Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lunkonde as saying.

“Compared with two weeks ago, the situation in terms of seismic activity has improved. We now able to contemplate the future with less worry.”

– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa