Attachments
DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENT
Cameroon has been experiencing catastrophic flooding since 10 August 2024. Torrential rains have been significantly impacting four regions of the country, with the far North and West the hardest hit. This has led to deaths and destruction of livelihoods, with loss of homes, infrastructure, schools, agriculture and livestock. The flooding is due to a combination of heavy rainfall, climate change, urbanization, deforestation and neglect of drainage systems. People in flood-prone areas of were already suffering in extremely challenging living conditions, and many are now homeless, destitute and vulnerable to further threats, including disease. The Cameroon National Department of Meteorology has reported as well that of late annual rainfall has been higher than the historical average from 1901 to 2022 of 1662.43mm. In August 2024 alone there was an increase of 142.39mm. This has led to a gradual increase of river basins reaching a critical threshold in the departments of Logoneet-Chari and Mayo Danay, with peak flooding from the Logone River recorded on 28 August with the bursting of water retention dikes there, which caused the complete inundation of Yagoua and other nearby villages. The most affected districts were Blangoua, Makary and Zina in Logone-et-Chari departments, and Maga, Yagoua in Mayo Danay department. In total the floods have affected 29 out of 47 sub-divisions of Logone-et-Chari, Mayo-Danay, Diamaré, Mayo-Tsanaga and Mayo-Kani. The deterioration of the dike at the Maga Reservoir and the ongoing flooding of the Logone River now continue to spread across more districts in Logone-et-Chari and Mayo-Danay, and the situation remains critical. The West of Cameroon is experiencing torrential rains too, which have caused flooding in several localities, resulting in both material losses and loss of life. Bandoum village, in a mountainous area, has already had frequent landslides, increasing the risk of further disasters. The destruction of the civil registry and the loss of essential documents, such as birth certificates and diplomas, further complicate the situation. Local authorities and humanitarian organizations, including CRCS, are working to address the increasing needs of the affected population, and on 4 September IFRC launched a DREF of CHF 421,471 to support CRCS in mobilizing volunteers to assist with evacuations, provide first aid and distribute relief items. Through its own resources, ICRC has provided support to CRCS as well, in Logone-et-Chari, enabling volunteers to provide immediate response to the most affected populations.