Early Rains: Douala residents in disaster-prone area prepare for worst
By Synthia Lateu
The early rains have just begun in the economic capital, bringing new challenges with them.
Kamdem Mary removes the debris dragged by the rainwater that blocked the gutters beside her home in Bepanda neighborhood , Douala 5 subdivision. She has mounted a barrier of four layers of brics at the threshold of her home, requiring anyone who enters to step over them. Anxious about flooding, she fears that the water may still invade her home as the rains intensify.
Haven lived in her house for over ten years, Mary says the situation has worsened due to the construction of a road nearby that connects two neighborhoods, channeling rain water through their area.
” When the water enters, it soaks everything, even the mattresses. We have lost our official documents in this water.” She says , recalling previous flood incidents .
Residents in the Bepanda neighborhood, as well as in many other parts of the city that have experienced destructive floods, are starting to feel the impact, and fear has gripped them.
Like Mary, many are devising makeshift solutions to combat the imminent flooding, with others opting to raise their gate walls to divert rainwater away from their compounds.
In the Makepe neighborhood, the situation is similar, with households not only facing flooding but also roads becoming inundated with water during even light rain, complicating transportation.
Tiffany, a resident who struggled with flooding last year, is bracing for the worst. She notes that the light rain of the previous day caused flooding. ” We don’t know how things will be when the rains intensify; these are just the early rains.” She said.
Being one of the most densely populated cities in Cameroon, each rainy season, Douala faces significant challenges.
According to Helen, an elderly woman resident in the Bepanda neighborhood, drainage blockages, combined with limited action from hygiene and sanitation services, exacerbate the problem. In the absence of trash cans, many residents throw waste into the gutters, hoping it will be swept away by the rainwater, without regard for where it ultimately ends up.
Environmentalists note that Douala, located at the estuary of the Wouri River and adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, is particularly susceptible to flooding due to tidal influences. Residents are urging the government to implement lasting solutions to the flooding situation, such as improving drainage infrastructure.
