Yaounde, November 29th, 2022 – A landslide occurred on Sunday, November 27, 2022 in the Damas district of Yaounde, killing more than a dozen people. Victims were taking part in a funeral ceremony. Greenpeace Africa sends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the entire Cameroonian population.
In October of the same year, another landslide occurred in the same town in the Mimboman district, killing three people. A similar tragedy occurred in August 2021 in the town of Foumban, killing a father and his two children. Further landslides killed nearly 43 people in 2019 in the city of Bafoussam (West Cameroon).
Nchini Livinus Wayih and Teshounkong Agendia, Researchers in slope stability and dynamics and, Risks Assessment said: “Cameroon has experienced high rainfall in recent years. For now, it is quite difficult to give the right cause of such incidents but we can evoque the steepness of the slope influence its susceptibility (as it was the case in Bafoussam some years ago), the geology of the area, as a response of the rocks to weathering and gravity and response of the soils to heavy rains. We can also consider some important anthropogenic factors as being the cause of this incident, notably cutting of slopes for construction which leads to instability-like the Bafoussam and Mbonjo cases – extensive deforestation, farming and urbanization. All things considered, the Cameroonian government should act promptly in such an emergency. ”
Stella Tchoukep, Forest Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa: “In such a short period of time, when four similar events have been recorded, the government should take concrete action to help the local population adapt to a new deadly climate. One must also recognise the fundamental causes of these tragedies, which have become recurrent in our country. High greenhouse gas emissions are making these events more violent and in order to absorb some of them, we must protect our rainforest – the world’s largest carbon sink.”
Greenpeace Africa Newsdesk: [email protected]
Luchelle Feukeng
Communications Officer, Greenpeace Africa
Email : [email protected]
Telephone: : +237 656 46 35 45 (WhatsApp)
Stella Tchoukep
Congo Basin Forest Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa
Email: [email protected]
Telephone:+237 694590679