Mbankolo landslides kill 23 in Cameroon capital Yaoundé

At least 23 lives have been tragically lost in landslides triggered by relentless heavy rains in Yaoundé, the capital city of Cameroon, as reported by emergency services.

A local radio station has reported a higher death toll of 40, and there are still numerous individuals missing in the wake of this devastating event.

Rescue operations were severely hindered by the inundation of floodwaters, forcing local residents to courageously extract bodies from the rubble using their bare hands.

The unrelenting downpour led to the overflowing of the Mefou River on Sunday, resulting in the submergence of several neighborhoods in the city.

This catastrophe unfolds nearly a year after another landslide claimed the lives of at least 14 individuals in the same city.

The impoverished district of Mbankolo bore the brunt of this latest disaster, with some homes, precariously situated on slopes, collapsing and even banana trees being uprooted.

One resident, quoted by the Cameroon Voice news website, described the heart-wrenching scene, recounting how the bodies of children were strewn across the damp ground.

So far, 12 of the deceased have been identified and transported to the morgue, according to the private Actu Cameroun website.

The ferocious floods have swept away around 25 houses, and it is feared that many families remain trapped and in distress.

Meanwhile, authorities in neighboring Nigeria have issued warnings to residents in nine states to prepare for potential flooding as Cameroon initiated the release of water from its Lagdo Dam.

This water release is expected to continue until the end of the month, as confirmed by Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (Nema), noting that Cameroon's dam will likely discharge water until the end of October.

Cameroon's authorities assert that the controlled release of water is a necessary response to the heavy rains in the country's northern regions.

Officials emphasize their commitment to keeping the water release at a minimum to mitigate potential downstream consequences.

It is essential to recall that last year's water release from the dam caused significant flooding and casualties in Nigeria, particularly in Benue state, which shares a border with Cameroon.