After heavy rains: 13-yr-old swept away by runoff in Yaounde.

The tragic incident occurred in the morning hours amid downpour while Henri was headed for school.

The Class Six pupil of Government Bilingual Primary School Biyem-Assi, we gathered, is said to have spotted a ball in runoff. 

In the process of trying to pick the ball, the overflow is said to have swept him away, leaving onlookers in consternation.

A source at the scene recounted that, “he was attracted by the ball floating on the water and thought he could easily grab it. He stepped on some plastic containers, but was swept away by the water”.

The frequency of such incidents, according to residents within the neighbourhood, have become disturbing in recent times. 

One of the residents of the area said Henri is the third child to have been swept away by runoff around the same spot.

The same source called on parents to be more vigilant with their children, especially with the heavy rains in Yaounde in recent days.

The mother of the missing child is quoted as having indicated that her son left home for school but she was unable to comprehend what happened. 

“…my son was swept away by water…what do I do?…where do I start from?…” the mother of the missing boy lamented.

As we went to press last night, Henri had not been found, raising fears that he might have died. 

To note that the Yaounde incident comes days after similar mishaps were recorded across different neighbourhoods in Bamenda, Mezam Division of the North West Region.

In one of the incidents, a pupil is said to have been swept away by runoff from under a bridge.  Reports hold that, the child, aged about 15, was hiding from rain under a bridge when runoff from another part of town swept him off.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3253 of Tuesday October 08, 2024