Heavy rain triggers landslide in Cameroon, claiming at Least 30 lives
Yaounde, Oct 9 (EFE).- Tragedy struck as heavy rains triggered a landslide in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, resulting in the loss of at least 30 lives, authorities said on Monday.
Rescue teams are diligently searching for victims in the wake of the devastating incident that occurred on Sunday in the impoverished district of Mbankolo.
Situated in the northwest of the capital, Mbankolo is one of the highest areas and is home to a population of three million.
Bomba Etoundi, the commander of the fire service, said that the landslide claimed the lives of 30 people, while another 17 sustained injuries.
The torrential rains led to the bursting of a dam near an artificial lake, causing a section of the hillside, on which precariously constructed houses were situated, to collapse, the public broadcaster CRTV reported.
Civil protection organizations had been issuing warnings about the risk of landslides in Mbankolo for several years.
Landslides are a recurring occurrence in Cameroon, particularly in hilly regions like Yaounde, which features numerous steep hills.
In a similar incident in November 2022, 15 lives were lost during a gathering for a funeral on a football field in the modest Damas neighborhood, located on the outskirts of Yaounde. EFE
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