Mbankolo landslide: Atanga Nji hands Biya’s relief package to affected families.

The items comprised mattresses, blankets, vegetable oil, sardine, tablets of soap, buckets and bags of rice.

The distribution exercise took place in the presence of  a representative of the Governor of the Centre Region, the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO of Mfoundi, Emmanuel Mariel Djikdent, Divisional Officer, DO of Yaounde II, Daouda Ousmanou, other DOs and the Mayor of  Yaounde II.

According to Atanga Nji, the gifts were sent by President Paul Biya and wife, Chantal. Beneficiaries were those who lost relatives in the catastrophe and others who have voluntarily decided to pack out of risk zones.

The day of the donation from the Head of State coincided with the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. 

Speaking at the event, Minister Atanga Nji, said: “…we received high instructions from the Head of State to assist the affected population. As such, a good number of relief materials were placed at our disposal to be handed over to the victims”.

According to Minister Atanga Nji, following the landslide, authorities of the Yaounde II Council notified hierarchy of other persons who were still in risk zones. 

Minister Atanga Nji handing relief to a victim as administrators look on

The council, he said, embarked on sensitisation, leading to many families opting to relocate for fear of the unknown.

“We want to use this opportunity to salute them for their courage and for accepting to park out of the risk zones,” the member of government said, adding that: “When you park out of a risk zone, you mark yourself and your family save from any unforeseen circumstances”.

Atanga Nji also advised the population to avoid constructing houses in marshy areas. The Head of State, the minister added, has instructed all the Governors, SDOs and DOs to identify risk areas and inform the population to immediately park out.

The MINAT boss recalled that, “after Gouatchie in Bafoussam, we had the incident in Douala and today we are in Mbankolo. We have lost over 230 lives to disasters of this nature, before remarking that, “those who parked out followed the right example”.

Before Friday’s ceremony, another consignment of relief items, which authorities also said came from the Head of State, had been handed over to victims of the landslide. That batch of relief items was distributed by the DO of the Yaounde II Subdivision, Daouda Ousmanou.

It should be recalled that on Sunday October 8, at least 30 people lost their lives after a dam collapsed provoking the Mbankolo landslide. At least 20 others sustained varied injuries.

The traditional ruler of Mbankolo, Assola Joseph, had told reporters that water from the artificial lake swept away at least 50 houses. The lake, he said, was constructed since the German era.

Read previous articles here: Yaounde: 27 die as damn collapse provokes landslide