North: danger looms as ENEO announces release of excess water from Lagdo dam

ENEO has asked people living in villages situated around the Lagdo hydroelectric dam and the Benue riverbank in the North region to evacuate the area in order to avoid an impending flooding.

The authorities of the electricity company say the Lagdo reservoir had exceeded its limit to contain water, which will have to be released.

“The population settled along the riverbed of the Benue and the surroundings of the Lagdo hydroelectric power plant are at risk of having their property and even human lives lost in case of the evacuation of the surplus water in the dam these past weeks,” ENEO said in a statement.

Over 26 villages have been marked as areas that will be severely affected when the Lagdo resevoir is opened.

The Northern regions of Cameroon have suffered devastating effects of similar water discharges coupled with natural floods in the past years with thousands affected and illnesses such as cholera and malaria gaining breeding ground.