Flood-prone areas inspected

A government land inspection which began yesterday in the district of Douala 5th to the identification of flood-prone and to verify the extent of the damage caused by the floods.

"In the dry season people live there and then abandon it in the rainy season, they just leave it choked," the district chief and the governor of the Littoral stated while showing a shallow area dotted with slum houses at a place called Petit Wouri in Bepanda.

Joseph Beti Assomo and his staff went out in the early hours of June 25, to inspect the sites at risk and discovered that the whole place got flooded after the rainfall on Saturday. The government delegate of Cud, Fritz Ntone Ntone, while at the water prone area, made it clear that "It is illegal to build there”.

Before this striking scenario, team members led by the governor were at Makepe-Missokè’s damaged bridge area where the floods also left a bitter memory.

Some young people with shovels and rakes were found busily clearing the drain. However, it was difficult not to notice the pile of plastic bottles floating above the water like weeds. “It is difficult to miss this shack built on the gutter," in the words of the Regional Delegate of Public Works.

To clear their doubts, officials went to confirm the improper demarcation of the area. Many structures were on flood-prone areas or too close to rivers in Douala 5th.

"The main problem is clogged sewerage," said the governor at the end of the inspection at Valley General Hospital. "We cannot get to sleep because the water level has dropped. We should take an immediate action,” and by that he meant, “there should be the pooling of efforts between the urban community and neighborhood health committees which we will support."

Yesterday in Makepe-Missokè, many young people were busy spreading pozzolan to seal holes and other crevices on a wide side of the street.

The inspection is expected to continue today at the 3rd district of Douala.