Storm Damages Community Hall, Church, Homes in Awing

A powerful storm struck Awing village in Santa Subdivision, North West, destroying roofs of key community infrastructure, including the Mbeme Cultural Development Association Community Hall and Presbyterian Church Mbeme.

Local inhabitants also reported damages caused to several homes in Mbenjom, Mbeme, and Mbenten quarters, leaving several families stranded.

The storm comes at a challenging time for the village, which has been grappling with ongoing infrastructure issues, worsened by the ongoing armed conflict in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

Despite the devastation, the community has remained resilient as they try to repair the damaged infrastructures.

Local leaders, in collaboration with villagers, are already mobilizing efforts to assess damages and coordinate rebuilding initiatives.

Storms have hit several communities in the North West over the past week as weather conditions fluctuate with the coming of the rainy season.

MMI reported how a thunderstorm in Fundong struck 33 cows last Wednesday following severe thunder strikes in the community.

Areas in Bafut and Babanki have also seen storms recently, with serious hailstorms destroying crops.

As the month of April fades out, more of such extreme weather incidents are expected in the days ahead, according to an earlier forecast by the National Climate Change Observatory (ONACC).

The institution warned about the risk of flooding, lightning and thunderstorms, hailstorms and violent winds across the 10 regions of the country between April 21 to 30.

Many of these incidents have occurred over the past days, raising fears about more incidents.