The National Observatory on Climate Change (Onacc) recently published a weather warning on the possibility of heavy rainfalls in the coming months in Cameroon and the high risks of gutters overflowing in urban and peri-urban areas.

On August 11, 2020, to prevent such outcomes, the Minister of Decentralization and Local Development (Minddevel) Georges Elanga Obam sent a message to mayors of the 374 communes and urban communities asking them to take urgent measures in preparation for the announced rainfall.  

These measures include the organization of cleanliness campaigns and the repeated dredging of gutters that will drain run-off.  

Let’s note that floods are already destroying properties in the Northern part. For example, in the department of Mayo-Danay, the heavy rains of recent days have destroyed more than a thousand huts and many plantations in Doreissou and Dama.

Last March, floods caused extensive damage in Buea, the capital of the South-West region. In addition, almost a year ago, in the department of Mayo-Danay and Logone-et-Chari, floods killed five people and forced the relocation of more than 50,000.

Dominique Mbassi