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Climate change observatory predicts imminent floods, violent winds…in six regions.

File photo of aftershock of floods in Buea in March 2023

The National Observatory on Climate Change, NOCC, has issued a statement warning of potential threats to agriculture and electricity supply in at least six Regions of the country, due to climatic change.
The warning is contained in NOCC’s bulletin forecast for the month of June.

It covers the period June 1 to 10. It projected that the identified period could be marked by flooding, strong winds, lighting and thunderstorms.

In this regard, it has put on the alert localities in the North West, South West, North, Adamawa, North, West and Centre Regions.

In the Adamawa Region, it said its prediction could affect the localities of Amber, Nkarna Manga, Wak and Djaoro Ndo.

In the Centre Region, the report cites Yaounde, precisely the Nkolbisong neighourhood, as also being at risk.

For the North West Region, localities cited by NOCC are Mbengwi, Batibo, Bamessing and Bambalang.

We also have Bafousam, Dschang, Foumban and Foumbot for the West Region and Muyuka and Limbe for the South West Region.

The Littoral Region features with areas such as Douala, Yabbasi, Edea, and Nkongsamba being at risk too.

In the mentioned areas, the institution said foodstuff such a plantain risk being destroyed while trees could be flown down, resulting in destructions that could limit farm harvests.

The report added that livestock loses are anticipated in high altitude shelters due to lightning strikes and thunderstorms.

The same weather change, NOCC stated, could destroy poles connecting cables thereby disrupting power supply.

The warning from NOCC comes a few months after the National Meteorology Department, NMD, of the Ministry of Transport, also warned against high temperatures that could affect livestock farming.

The country has recorded floods and landslides in recent times. Fresh in the minds of citizens are the Mbankolo landslide in Yaounde, in October 23, 2023. It claimed over 20 lives and destroyed property.

In the South West Region, the city of Limbe recorded floods that also killed some persons between June and September of last year. In the case of Douala, reports hold that over 1,600 people were victims of floods last year.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No3132 of Wednesday June 05, 2024