The Far North region of Cameroon has experienced weeks of nonstop, intense rain, with the city of Yagoua taking the brunt of the unprecedented deluge. Reports indicate that at least ten people have died, that entire neighborhoods have been submerged, that 185 primary schools and 13 high schools have been flooded, and that over 1,100 livestock have been lost. Residents are struggling to survive in the midst of the disaster, with many of them unable to meet basic needs like food and shelter. Litassou Daniel, a local victim of the floods, described the dire situation: “The rain took us by surprise in the middle of the night. Our kitchen utensils are gone—pots disappeared, and our sheep, chickens, and goats are nowhere to be found. I’m now in the water, trying to cope, but we can’t even light a fire.”
The humanitarian toll is staggering. Over 200,000 people have been affected, with 8,000 homes destroyed. Those displaced by the disaster have been relocated to temporary camps outside the city. However, the victims are urgently calling for more aid, as they have lost everything.
Boussate Lydie, one of the displaced residents, expressed her frustration:
“Floods pose the same threat to us each year. Nothing ever gets better for us. We are given tents to remain in, but these are destroyed as soon as the sun comes up. Goats and sheep have died, and numerous houses have collapsed. We’re begging for assistance from the government.”
A vital bridge linking Maga and Yagoua was destroyed as a result of the deluge, severely isolating some neighborhoods. Célestine Ketcha Courtes, the Minister of Urban Development for Cameroon, visited the location in reaction to evaluate the damage and devise a plan of action for the coming days.
“We saw that the bridge is completely destroyed,” the clergyman said. In order to establish a temporary fix that would re-connect Maga to the rest of the department and allow the inhabitants to move more freely, we have committed to mobilizing businesses on Monday of next week.
The government has announced 350 million CFA francs in aid for the victims, though many locals consider this amount insufficient, given the scale of the crisis. For now, canoes remain the only viable means of transportation, and there are fears the region could become completely cut off if urgent steps are not taken.
(Africanews)
