Man loses entire family in Bafoussam landslide

A 40-year-old man lost his four kids and wife in last week’s landslide in Gouache, Bafoussam, West Region of Cameroon.

The man, Victor Kefalon told the media he had lived there for about 25 years, with little knowledge of the potential danger he and his family were facing.

“I bought my land and built my house 25 years ago … and today I have lost everything,” he says.

Victor like many other residents in the area however claims he had never been told to move away from the site. “Nobody ever told me the state has restricted construction here … today, I am left alone, my entire family is in the morgue,” he weeps on Equinoxe TV.

Losing his family and barely surviving the disaster with physical injuries, Victor however seems to be one of the few survivors. Others victims were not as lucky. While a school is said to have lost up to 15 pupils, a family of six, media reports say, also perished under the mud.

This has left several survivors, some of whom are still at the Bafoussam regional hospital traumatised.

Following the Head of State’s FCFA 200 million donation to the victims, a befitting burial will be given to the victims and survivors relocated to safer parts of the town.

Individuals and goodwill groupings, prior to this, have been visiting the area, consoling and providing comfort to victims.