“Most Structures Have Already Been Marked For Demolition”

What is the situation in Limbe after your field visit following the devastating landslide that claimed the lives of three citizens and the floods? Well, this morning about 6am I was called by my collabora­ tors about the incident that happened at the Mbende neighbourhood and my team and I went there and together with the population, we tried to see how we could rescue the situation. It is a landslide because of the heavy down­ pour since Tuesday. We went there and noticed that a house collapsed. The lands­ lide caused the house to col­ lapse with four occupants. Three people died have been recorded as we speak inclu­ ding the pregnant woman. The head of the family was rescued and he is currently receiving treatment in the hospital. That is the situation. You know that Limbe is prone to floods and landslide. It is a natural disaster that we have witnessed and it is a very pathetic situation. We want to use this opportunity to extend our deep condo­ lences to the family and to caution the rest of the po­ pulation to be aware that the area is a risk zone. It is im­ portant to note that they have to vacate the area as we have always policed them. Not only that area but also other areas that have been marked as risk zones in the municipality following the previous communiques through which we have al­ ways alerted them. We are very saddened in Limbe ha­ ving lost three lives and that of the unborn child of the pregnant woman. Limbe is prone to floods and landslides. What is the City Council doing to curb such disasters in future? You know, what we are doing is the short-term measures. We are dredging the gutters. As we speak, we are doing continuous cleaning of gut­ ters, and waterways. We have done the studies for the ca­ nalisation of the municipality as a council and we have sub­ mitted it to the competent ministry to see how Limbe can be canalise so that we can drastically reduce the floods situation in the town. We are also doing serious sensitization, moving from one place to another to sen­ sitize the population on where to build and how to build so that they are not close to waterways or block drainages. We are also sen­ sitizing the population on waste disposal that is being done indiscriminately. These are actions that are under­ taken on a daily basis. We started these actions in 2023 with the Gerem project where we also planted shrub trees meant to hold the soil firm in order to prevent landslides in those areas where the landslide occurred in 2001 which claimed the lives of over 21 people and displaced more than 500 persons. That is what we have been doing since 2003,...