Floods destroy localities in Yaoundé

Nkolbisson, Etam-Bafia and Mvog-Mbi are some neighbourhoods in Yaoundé that have been extensively damaged as a result of the heavy downpour.

A distress call was launched by the inhabitants of Nkolbisson, one of the localities in Yaoundé. It is the time of the rainy season when floods leave homes in havoc.

"Our hearts beat every time we see the clouds darken in the sky. How can we be comfortable when we sleep in flood? This situation has been ongoing since 2008”, said Veronique Ako, a widow. "This is a similar flood that destroyed the house of our neighbor”, she added.

In Etam-Bafia, the situation is not any better. People are afraid of damage each downpour will cause. "When the rain comes with force, it destroys everything on its path and the whole family stays awake. Sometimes we have to cross the road to take shelter at our neighbors who live adjacent to us”, says Annette B.

The walls of affected homes in Nkolbisson indicated the depth of flood which came as a surprise a few days ago. In some homes, the ceiling served as storage for jumbled electronics, clothing and other accessories.

Mirabelle Ngazoa recollected how her kitchen utensils and other personal stuff floated on water in her uncle’s house at Mvog Betsi.

"We had to stand on chairs throughout the rain. With all that I saw, I was unable to eat the meal that was served to me. Since then, I have decided not to visit in the dry season for him not to relive these unbearable images”, said the young lady.

Also at the traders Avenue, one Kennedy said, “I could not get into my car last week after the heavy rain. The water had overflowed and flooded the road at an unusual height. I remained a prisoner for nearly two hours in a restaurant before the rain stopped”.

It is hapless that victims try somehow to solve the situation. "For us, we always expect the officials to react to this situation. We at Nkolbisson made it a decision not to complain. We just want the tap which collapsed to be fixed and facilitate the flow of water. Also a refurbishment so that we may be saved from the waters”, concluded Laurentine M. a resident of the flooded area.