Giant Ravines Swallow Neighborhoods in Kinshasa and Buriti as Erosion Crisis Worsens

Massive gully erosion is wreaking havoc in urban areas across the Global South, with the cities of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Buriticupu in Brazil facing a growing crisis. Widening ravines are swallowing entire neighborhoods, forcing families to relocate and claiming lives.

In Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, a large gully opened up during heavy rainfall in 2022, resulting in the deaths of 60 people. The city's lack of proper drainage infrastructure makes it highly vulnerable to erosion events, which are only predicted to intensify with climate change bringing more intense and frequent rainfall.

The situation is similarly dire in Buriticupu, Brazil, where over 100 families have already been displaced due to encroaching gullies threatening their homes. The rapid expansion of these ravines is altering the urban landscape and upending lives.

Why this matters: The erosion crisis unfolding in Kinshasa and Buriticupu highlights the urgent need for climate adaptation measures in cities across the Global South. Without action to improve drainage infrastructure and restore natural resilience, more communities will face displacement and devastation as extreme weather events become more common.

Experts are sounding the alarm, calling for immediate investments in urban infrastructure to efficiently drain surface water and prevent the formation of new gullies. They also stress the importance of vegetation restoration and reforestation efforts to naturally strengthen the land's ability to withstand erosion. "Urban gully erosion is predicted to intensify with climate change, as increased rainfall intensity and frequency of extreme events will affect cities without proper drainage infrastructure," warns a recent study on the issue.

As the giant ravines continue to expand, swallowing more land and homes, the cities of Kinshasa and Buriticupu serve as sobering examples of the devastating impact of unchecked erosion in a changing climate. Urgent action is needed to protect vulnerable communities and build resilience against this growing threat.

Key Takeaways

• Massive gully erosion ravaging urban areas in Global South, e.g. Kinshasa, Buriticupu.
• Lack of drainage infrastructure makes cities vulnerable to erosion, worsened by climate change.
• Erosion displacing families, claiming lives, and altering urban landscapes in affected cities.
• Urgent need for climate adaptation measures, including infrastructure upgrades and vegetation restoration.
• Unchecked erosion poses growing threat, requiring immediate action to protect vulnerable communities.