Limbe City Council Issues August 21 Deadline for Evacuation from Risk Zones, But Where Will Residents Go?

Residents of two landslide-prone areas in Limbe have been ordered to permanently leave their homes by August 21, following last week’s deadly floods and landslides that claimed three lives.

But as Limbe City Council authorities move to enforce the Senior Divisional Officer’s evacuation order, questions are emerging over who allowed homes to be built in the high-risk areas in the first place, and where displaced families are expected to move to suddenly.

The City Mayor, Dr Paul Efome Ngale, in a release, has said the council will immediately begin identifying and marking houses considered endangered in Mokeba Farms and behind Deeper Life Church in Mbende.

The exercise follows a Prefectoral Order issued on August 6 by the SDO for Fako, declaring the two areas risk zones and ordering residents to permanently evacuate within two weeks.

In another communique, Mayor Efome Ngalle said occupants of houses marked by the council must leave immediately, and all evacuations should be completed no later than Friday, August 21.

The directive comes after torrential rains last Wednesday triggered floods and landslides across Limbe, killing three members of the same family and destroying several homes. Other families were displaced, while livelihoods were severely affected.

The council says the evacuation is necessary to protect lives and property as heavy rains are expected to continue, urging residents not to ignore the directive or return to buildings within the affected zones.

But for families facing eviction from homes they may have spent years building, the order raises difficult questions.

Who Approved the Construction of houses in These Areas?

The latest directive does not address how homes came to be built and occupied in locations now officially recognised as dangerous. It also leaves unanswered the question of whether building permits were issued, whether risk assessments were conducted and why residents were allowed to settle in the areas until disaster struck.

Then comes the immediate concern for those being asked to leave: where are they supposed to go?

The mayor’s communique calls for permanent evacuation but does not announce any resettlement plan, temporary accommodation or financial assistance for affected households.

For residents who have already lost homes and livelihoods to the floods and landslides, leaving may be necessary for their safety, but without a clear alternative, the evacuation could create another humanitarian challenge.

Authorities have urged parents, landlords, tenants, community leaders and quarter heads to ensure compliance with the directive.