Cameroonian officials say record flooding on the western border with Nigeria has killed at least six people, washed away homes and caused thousands of tons of exports. food was destroyed.
In a video circulated on his social media platforms, an official of the Widium Council told the Cameroon government that civilians had removed dirt, mud and stones from the roads so that they could leave Widikum. I asked you to help me remove it.
Among the merchants is the Nigerian Paul He Okafor, who buys palm oil and vegetables from Widikum to sell in his own country. He said floods and landslides had blocked him for five days at Widikum, and vehicles could not enter or leave because floods had covered the roads and landslides had dragged down the roadside hills. Okafor says the vegetables and tomatoes he has purchased are starting to rot, and Widikum's vegetable farmers complain of declining yields.
Andoh Stanilos, the mayor of Widikum district, confirmed that the city council staff shared the video. He said the landslide-triggered floods had killed six people, left hundreds homeless, and destroyed homes and warehouses.
"The flood plains were inundated and the houses were completely swept away," he said. As the Council is about to mobilize some resources, I am sending this SOS to governments and people of goodwill to come and help those in need right now.
Flooding destroyed a 36-meter-long bridge over the Momo River, stranded hundreds of merchants and commuters on both sides of the river. Momo, an administrative unit of Widikum, is a producer of palm oil, maize, potatoes, tomatoes and vegetables.
The Cameroon National Climate Change Observatory predicted last month that many Cameroonian towns and villages, including Widikum, would be hit by floods and landslides.
Forghab Patrick, deputy director of the Observatory, said housing built in flood-risk areas made the situation even worse.
"People build their homes in wetlands," said Patrick. "What will happen? Houses will block even waterways so that water cannot circulate properly and eventually all those who live in the house will be exposed."
The government said: It said it was educating people to stop settling in the risk zone, but did not say whether it would provide the food and water the starving victims were asking for.
