One year after Buea floods, victims still battle with emotional trauma and material loss

By Jabi Katy Chale, first published on Sustainable Fingers.

In April 2023, runoff from heavy rains carried away a form one student of Baptist High School Buea taking away his life.
Nathaniel Eyole Monjimbo and his school mates were playing football in the school vicinity, the ball went into the direction of the running water. In an attempt to retrieve the ball, he was carried away by the running water.

News of his death sent the populace of Buea in complete shock and agony, as they were yet to heal from the flash floods of 18 march 2023 in the Buea town environs. The flood took away two lives, leaving several others injured, homeless, frustrated and out of Business.
One year after these disasters, the memories and anguish are still fresh in the minds of Buea inhabitants.

“Exactly one year since that flood happened, I tell you, I still feel extremely bad, especially for the families that lost their dear ones, not leaving out Zinabo Angeline, the lady who lost her child, the class six pupil. That woman, she is still going through a lot of pain because that was her only girl child. It is still really fresh in my head because she is my neighbor, and it is really still painful. For another neighbor of mine, a toilet collapsed on him during the flood, some other persons in my neighborhood were stranded. Those occurrences of last year, I pray it never happens again in Buea and in Cameroon, we don’t want something like that anymore. Its rainy season approaching, we are begging that God should help us”. Said Shantal Ndowah, a journalist and inhabitant of Buea town.

“Whenever I sit and remember that day, it seems as if it happened just yesterday, the pain I feel right now for losing a daughter can never finish. I only pray to God that what I faced last year 2023, it should not happen again, because the pain is too much”. Zinabo Angeline.
Just like Zinabo, Mola Ngwayey says the trauma from the disaster still haunts him even after a year. He sustained injuries as he was swept away by the flood alongside his house. “Water took me from Bonalyonga down to Bambutti, it was not easy inside the water, pulling me down, toasting me against stones and other debris. I had a serious injury on my leg until I had surgery”.

Nina Nwaseri, another victim of the flood takes us through memory lane and recounts the ordeal she and are family are still going through. “I was not home when it started but when I got home it was not pretty, everywhere was messy, we tried to save what we could at the time. We lost properties and even our small firewood business was taken away by the water, coupled with the trauma. At some point we had to rely on donations from government and other institutions. Sometimes you look for something in the house and then you remember, ahh! It was taken by the flood. That was the third time something like that happened to us, but the flood of 18th march was the first of that magnitude”.

Cameroon has over the years recorded several cases of floods and landslides. Some other recent cases include, The Mbankolo landslide in the nation’s capital Yaounde, which plagued the town on October 23, 2023. The disaster claimed 3 lives, destroying homes and properties of many.
The persistent flooding situation in Limbe throughout the months of June to September 2023, marked another sad record in the lives of Cameroonians. It directly affected more than 1600 persons. It would be hard to round up on disasters in Cameroon without mentioning the annual flooding situation in Douala, the Kumba landslide in September 2022 and the landslide at the Mutegene hill in Tiko sub-division in July 2022 which paused the activities of commuters for hours.

The United Nations has warned of many disasters to affect the world in the future, due to the global concerns of climate change. With the record Cameroon has already, there is a lingering fear on the fate of Cameroonians in months and years to come.
“Over 90% of disasters which we are experiencing today are weather and water related. This is because, climate change is seriously affecting the hydrological circle. This means that, in the face of climate change, there is high risk that disasters will continuously be on the rise like never before. The case of Buea, where there was flash flood, we have never experienced something like that before”. Nkembeteck Henry Nkwa, climate change advocate.

With the rainy season gradually showing its full face this year, scientists caution Cameroonians on the possible adaptation and mitigation strategies.
“At the individual level, when constructing houses, we should construct drainage systems as well, so as to collect runoff waters. And very importantly, we should orientate our children and do not let them go out during heavy rains. As a community, we can also organize community cleanups, to keep our communities and drainages clean, especially in places which are consistent risk zone areas”. Said, Cliford Chia, disaster risk management expert.

The government also has a key role to play to mitigate impact in case of any future occurrences. When the flood in Buea town occurred, scientists suggested the construction of houses on water ways to be one of the possible causes. This caused frenzy among Cameroonians who were bitter as to how state and municipal authorities permitted construction in these areas despite being more knowledgeable of the dangers. Same questions popped up during the Limbe floods and the Mbankolo landslide.
“Municipal authorities should work on destroying houses built on water ways so as to protect lives. construct and rehabilitate more drainage ways, reinforce cleanup days”. Again, Cliford chia