Cameroonians are facing atleast three months of battling against heavy rains that could lead to deadly,destructive floods.
The insufficient drainage infrastructures is one of the major causes of the recent floods,which has rendered life difficult resulting to long hours of traffic.Residents have however called on the Yaounde City Council and the Ministry of urban development and housing to step up measures.
How critical is the situation
The rainy season usually begins in the month of march,and it poses the threat of devastation and destruction of across the country,claiming lives and destroying properties.
So far this year in Buea,atleast one person has been killed, hundreds of residential buildings, cars and other vehicles have been destroyed or submerged under water.
30-Year-old Epolle Jonas lost a lot of properties when water poured into his shop during the floods in Buea.
” I could not withstand the force if the water.It destroyed everything in my shop,imagine they are items I just bought from Douala”,he told African Stringers.
Another lady told African stringers:” the rain started at about 2:30 pm,we heard a loud Boom and before I knew it, everything in my home was carried away.
We couldn’t salvage anything… we have to save our lives”, she added.
The tragedy in Buea has highlighted the devastation caused by Floods in Cameroon during the rainy season.
Yet despite the loss of life and properties,it seems that so far the country has not taken many concrete measures to tackle the disasters.
Which areas are affected
In Cameroon,areas with poor drainage system are affected like in Buea,Yaounde and Douala.Recently in Yaounde,around post Office and Voirie Municipale,roads were blocked due to floods,and several person’s almost lost their lives.
Causes of the floods
The causes differ according to the Regions,
Heavy rains, combined with poor drainage systems and blocked waterways cause rainwater to flow through commercial and residential dwellings.
authorities do not make provision to clear drainage systems until it is already rainy season,according to an environmentalist.
“The Yaounde City Council,and the Ministry if Housing and urban development need to step up measures,clean waterways,increase the sizes of gutters,destroy homes which block the flow of water like in Buea and increase the sizes of some gutters”, he added.
Some residents dump rubbish and waste in the streets, putting extra strain on the few existing urban drainage systems and preventing the steady flow of rainwater.
[9:20 PM, 4/4/2023] Azibo Crystabelle: The situation of floods in prone areas remains a critical expirience.In Yaounde at the central post office,roads were blocked recently due to floods
[9:24 PM, 4/4/2023] Azibo Crystabelle: And has rendered life difficult for city dwellers.