KINSHASA, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Thirty nine elephants coming from Angola on Tuesday crossed over to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) side and destroyed farms and fish ponds in seven villages in Kasongo-Lunda locality, Kwango province, a local administrator told Xinhua.
The information was equally confirmed by the Kwango civil society groups.
According to civil society actors, a total of 36 hectares of farms were destroyed and 97 ponds as well as four sources of drinking water were destroyed.
"The destruction caused by these elephants were reported in Katanga, Kibuka, Seni, Banda-Ngongo, Mulasa, Kizunzu, and Mangomba villages.
The Kwango civil society groups said 370 households were affected by the destruction.
Over 12,450 other people were also forced to flee from their homes in neighbouring Kiambamba villages.
The civil society and local authorities in Kasongo-Lunda have appealed for help from both the provincial and central governments as well as from humanitarian aid agencies to help those affected.
