Floods Submerge Disaster Camp Hosting Yagoua Victims

By Bachirou Elhadj BDO

The Ouro Dabango disaster camp, located in Yagoua, was hit by violent floods on Friday, October 4, following torrential rains that lasted more than two hours.

This incident worsens the situation of families already weakened by bad weather in this region regularly affected by floods.

From the first drops, the camp residents watched helplessly as water seeped into several tents that serve as their shelter.

“The water spread everywhere, and we had to quickly move our belongings to prevent them from being destroyed,” says Amadou, a father of five children, his face marked with worry.

Despite the responsiveness of some, the flood has caused significant inconvenience for several families.

Although the situation is alarming, no major losses have been reported so far. Thanks to the rapid action of some residents and the relative stability of some tents, some of the property was preserved.

However, the atmosphere in the camp remains tense, and the fear of worsening weather conditions haunts the victims.

The rescue teams and local authorities present on the scene are maintaining a permanent state of alert.

Weather forecasts suggest further rainy episodes in the coming days, prompting the authorities to increase vigilance and take measures to minimize the impact of future bad weather.

As Yagoua continues to face the challenges posed by flooding, the victims of the Ouro Dabango camp are calling for a rapid and effective response to improve their living conditions and ensure their safety.

The authorities are expected more than ever to prevent new disasters in this particularly vulnerable area.

Yagoua, in Mayo Danay Division of Cameroon’s Far North Region, witnessed deadly floods in late August and early September that affected more than 200,000 people, and destroyed over 8,000 homes, according to humanitarian bodies.

Thousands of victims who were rendered homeless took residence in make-shift shelters like the one at Ouro Dabango, but recent downpours are making conditions worse for them.