Sange River
Sange River, April 2022
Location
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Sange River is a tributary of the Ruzizi River in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It serves as a reliable source of water for domestic and commercial use, and families living along its banks rely on its pristine waters for drinking, cooking, and household chores. Local businesses depend on the river's abundant supply to meet the needs of visitors and tourists. Moreover, the river's flow sustains an ecosystem of services.^[1][2][3]

Location

The river rises in the western part of the Ruzizi Plain in the Uvira Territory in the South Kivu Province and joins the Ruzizi River across the Plain. As it courses through the region, the river gathers water from smaller streams and tributaries, including Luvua River in Sange, Luvimvi River in Katogota, the Luvubu River in Lubarika, the Luvungi River in Luvungi, the Luberizi River in Luberizi, and the Runingu River in Runingu. The upper Sange valley has traditionally been occupied by Kifuliiru-speaking agriculturalists and herders who have thrived in the area, relying on the valley's resources for their sustenance and livelihoods.^[4][5][6][7]

History

When Henry Morton Stanley joined David Livingstone at Ujiji to explore the mouth of the Ruzizi River, Stanley discerned that the Sange River served as a tributary to the expansive Ruzizi River.^[8] During the Belgian Congo period, a bridge was erected over the river to facilitate the crossing of obstacles such as rivers, valleys, or highways.^[9] However, on March 26, 2020, the bridge collapsed due to torrential rainfall in Sange and its surrounding areas.^[10]

March 2022 torrential rainfall

In March 2020, torrential rains and the overflow of nearby tributaries inundated homes, including the Sange Bridge, which succumbed to the relentless assault of the flooding river and collapsed. The pillars of the bridge weakened and crumbled under the force of the water. Furthermore, these heavy rains disrupted the socioeconomic life of the population residing in Sange and Uvira, located in the Uvira Territory, as well as Kindu in the Maniema Province. According to reports from local media, the rainfall commenced on March 26, 2020, and persisted until 2023, resulting in the collapse of numerous houses, the displacement of people, and a considerable number of casualties. UM News, the official news agency of The United Methodist Church, reported that the substantial rainfall rendered nearly 70,000 individuals homeless in eastern DRC.^[11][12][13]

References