Heavy rains overnight in South Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have caused flooding and landslides, killing at least 40 people, the authorities say.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing with the death toll expected to rise.
At least 20 people were found dead in the provincial capital Bukavu while the bodies of 20 others were discovered in the surrounding village of Burhinyi, local media quoted the provincial governor’s office as saying.
The landslides occurred on Tuesday night in Bukavu, a city of an estimated two million people in South Kivu province.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, and there are concerns the death toll could rise.
Albert Migabo Nyagaza, a local official and a pastor, said that a wall collapsed on worshippers during a church service, killing five people. He added that three other people were swept away in flooding.
In May this year, at least 438 died in areas of Kalehe Territory in South Kivu following flooding due to heavy rains.
The DRC, located in a tropical climate zone, frequently faces natural disasters during the rainy season.