Floods continue in Yaounde

Last Saturday's heavy rains stopped many people from attending to their daily chores.

Yaounde inhabitants are yet to forget the damage caused by floods in the city centre last Saturday June 21. The heavy rains caused enormous damage and rendered movement impossible.

From the Yaounde Central Post Office to the Warda Multipurpose Sports Complex and to other areas like Avenue Kennedy, Cathedral, Carrefour Warda and neighborhoods like Nsam, Etoug-Ebe and Mvan, the scenes were similar with people grappling with the flood waters. At the city centre vehicle owners and pedestrians had to go through alternative roads to get to get to their destinations. Many people who tried to go through the floods were forced to abandon their vehicles and motorbikes as the water put off their engines. Business almost ground to a halt as hawkers fled with their belongings.

Eyewitness reports say the part of the River Mfoundi behind SGBC bank near the Mfoundi Market overflowed its banks and spilled its contents on the road leading to the market. It is true floods are a common phenomenon in Yaounde but the fact that despite huge efforts are made by the Yaounde City Council to prevent the city centre from floods, the phenomenon persists. Yves S. a trader who sells on the banks of the River Mfoundi said each time the rains start threatening to fall, they go back home because the consequences are usually dangerous. He explained that floods continue to occur in the area because people throw litter into the river. "The dirt blocks the water passage and as a result, there are floods in the city centre," he explained. He also regretted the fact that the area around the river is not protected and as a result, dangerous for pedestrians. He expressed hope that a wall will be built along the river to avoid accidents. Another trader, Paul M. said people do not only throw litter but they defecate in the river which is dangerous to health.

The construction of the River Mfoundi canal from the Central Post Office to the Nsam SCDP in the Nsam neighbourhood was meant to ensure free flow of water and to avoid floods in the city centre. However, the canal does not seem to be of great use following the nonchalant attitude of the public. At the Nsam neighbourhood precisely near SOFAVINC where the canal empties its contents, the area is full of waste plastic bottles, paper, and all sorts of waste. Some of the inhabitants of the area say the area is not healthy as they are exposed to mosquitoes and disease.