On October 11, a coordination meeting was held concerning the landslide that occurred in Yaounde after last Sunday’s torrential rain. After the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute, Minister of Territorial Administration (MINAT), Paul Atanga Nji (photo), disclosed the latest figures concerning the damages caused by the landslide. "The landslide in the Mbankolo district caused the death of 28 people," he said.  

The official added that 17 people were injured and three are still missing. Finally, we learn that 57 families have been affected by this natural disaster. 

The government believes that it is urgent to prevent another disaster by relocating the populations still living on the site of the tragedy. A task force coordinated by Emmanuel Mariel Djikdent, the senior divisional officer of the Mfoundi division (Yaounde), is working hard to find new sites to house the people to be evacuated.

The Mbankolo site is not the only one affected by the evictions. In a press release issued on October 11, Emmanuel Mariel Djikdent called on all residents of the Ngousso neighborhood, in the Ebama district, to urgently and calmly evacuate "under the supervision of security forces.”  

The reason is that “serious cracks have been observed on a slope supporting the dwellings," the senior divisional officer indicated adding that this could lead to a landslide engulfing the houses. 

Michel Ange Nga