Douala: death risk from imminent landslide rises

Some residents of Carriere Tamkoua neighbourhood in the Douala V sub-division are begging authorities to come to their aid otherwise their houses will continue collapsing from the hill they have been built on. The soil underneath is being eroded rapidly by running water this rainy season.

According to them, this is due to the destruction of drainage channels they constructed as far back as 2016 to canalize runoffs. They hold the Satom road construction company responsible. Since 2018 till present day, runoffs have eroded the foot of the hill resulting to the collapse of houses including three giant storey buildings.

“Houses keep collapsing overtime. We are not safe. Our properties and lands are gone. Some people have escaped. We are fortunate no one has been killed so far” an inhabitant explains.

Letters addressed to local administrators have not instigated any authority to act. Those whose houses are still standing on the hill are nursing hope their letters will be revised and their voices heard by authorities in Douala with quick action taken before they are rendered homeless.