The death toll from devastating floods that hit two villages in the South Kivu province of the east Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last week has risen to 401, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent history.

The floods were triggered by days of torrential rain that caused rivers to break their banks, leading to landslides and inundating the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukubi.

More bodies were being recovered on Monday and were piled into mass graves over the weekend. Local civil society sources said bodies were still floating on Lake Kivu. On Friday, at least 176 people were reported dead, while hundreds more were missing.

ALSO READ: Floods and landslides near Lake Kivu kill 176 villagers in eastern DR Congo

By Sunday, the United Nations’ humanitarian agency OCHA confirmed that at least 270 people had died, and over 300 were still unaccounted for. More than 8,800 people have been affected by the floods in Congo.

The floods were worsened by poor urban planning, weak infrastructure and warming temperatures due to climate change.

The United Nations’ climate experts warned that climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of floods and landslides already common in South Kivu.

Congo climate activist Josue Aruna criticised the government’s lack of prioritisation of environmental issues and lack of response plans.