Which hazards are relevant to disaster-risk management in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

They include floods, heavy rainfall, erosion, landslides, droughts, storms, volcanic eruptions, technological accidents and major fires. Flooding and erosion are broadly relevant, while volcanic hazards particularly affect the east, including Goma and the areas around Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira.

Which bodies coordinate state disaster protection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

They include civil protection, the National Civil Protection Council, the General Directorate of Civil Protection, and national, provincial and local authorities. The responsible ministry is the Ministry of the Interior, Security, Decentralization and Customary Affairs; international organizations provide support depending on the event and location.

How can people receive disaster warnings in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

The Early Warnings for All programme is intended to establish a nationwide warning system for multiple hazards, but comprehensive real-time coverage has not yet been documented. Information from local authorities, reliable media and humanitarian partners should therefore be checked together for the specific location.

Is there a uniform evacuation route for disasters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

No nationwide route or deadline has been published. When warned, people should follow local instructions, leave the hazard zone and determine in advance where accommodation, transport and basic supplies can be reached.

What assistance is available after a disaster in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

Depending on the event and access, authorities and humanitarian partners may organize rescue, accommodation, water, sanitation, logistics and other assistance. A nationwide entitlement to a specific benefit or compensation has not been documented.

Which infrastructure is being improved against flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?

World Bank Project P508410 supports drainage, erosion and riverbank protection, roads, canals, critical infrastructure and post-disaster recovery in Kinshasa and Kalemie, among other measures. The funding applies to the defined target area and does not establish a nationwide infrastructure standard.

Disasters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, floods, heavy rainfall, erosion, landslides, droughts, storms, volcanoes, fires and technological accidents pose the greatest risks to people and infrastructure. The state disaster-protection system is formally established but operates unevenly across regions and is strained by conflict, displacement and weak infrastructure. Warnings, assistance and evacuations therefore depend heavily on the affected location and the local or humanitarian structures available there.

Tip

Plan your protection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for your specific location, because warnings, assistance and transport routes operate differently across regions. Do not rely on a nationwide emergency number, app or uniform evacuation procedure; instead, clarify local instructions, reachable shelters and alternative routes in advance. In Goma and the surrounding area, monitoring volcanic hazards has particular priority.

naBijou&Fabrice

Broadly relevant hazards include seasonal flooding, heavy rainfall and erosion. Droughts, storms, major fires and technological events occur with differing regional patterns. In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira create particular volcanic hazards. Climate change may increase the intensity and frequency of several hazards; conflict, displacement and weak transport, water and health infrastructure intensify their consequences. Epidemics concern this topic only at the boundary of the health sector and must not generally be classified as natural disasters. The state structure includes civil protection (Protection civile), the National Civil Protection Council (Conseil de la protection civile) and the General Directorate of Civil Protection (Direction Générale de la Protection Civile). Primary responsibility lies with the Ministry of the Interior, Security, Decentralization and Customary Affairs (Ministère de l’Intérieur, Sécurité, Décentralisation et Affaires Coutumières), as well as national, provincial and local authorities. Sectoral ministries and international organizations support rescue operations, accommodation, water, sanitation, logistics and humanitarian assistance, but they do not replace state responsibility. Decree No. 24/01 of 12 February 2024 organizes civil protection. The national disaster-risk-management policy was confirmed in September 2025; Decrees Nos. 38 and 39 of November 2025 strengthen the institutional structure. Practical implementation and coordination are still being developed. The Early Warnings for All programme (Alerte précoce pour tous), known internationally as Early Warnings for All, started in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 28 January 2026. It is intended to create a nationwide, inclusive warning system for multiple hazards. A roadmap and a coordination mechanism are being developed, but existing warning systems remain fragmented. There is still no reliably documented nationwide real-time coverage. Depending on the location, information from local authorities, media and humanitarian partners must therefore be compared. During an event, reporting and coordination take place through local or provincial authorities and civil protection. A uniform nationwide public emergency number, standardized evacuation deadlines, fixed evacuation routes or a general benefits and fee rule have not been documented. When warned, people should leave the affected hazard zone according to local instructions and determine in advance where shelter, water, medical assistance and transport can be reached. In Goma and the surrounding area, location-specific volcanic monitoring and evacuation information is particularly important. Recovery is supported, among other things, by the World Bank’s active DRC Urban Flood Resilience Project. Project P508410 includes a commitment of 200 million US dollars and runs from 21 May 2025 to 30 June 2030. It focuses on Kinshasa and Kalemie, including disaster-protection capacity, drainage, erosion and riverbank protection, roads, canals, critical infrastructure and post-disaster recovery. The target area includes approximately three million people; this does not establish a nationwide infrastructure standard. Financing remains strained. A 2026 diagnostic on disaster-risk financing estimates the average annual emergency need for floods and epidemics at approximately 62 million US dollars, while the state provides about 3.5 million US dollars for this purpose. A severe flood event can cause costs of approximately 389 million US dollars; the estimated probability of annual budget exhaustion is 61 percent. These figures are a combined financial benchmark and do not constitute a commitment to provide individual compensation or assistance. Formal institutions exist, but their practical capacity and accessibility vary greatly by region; a uniform nationwide citizen platform, warning app, evacuation database or compensation rule has not been documented.