Devastating Flood Hits NW, Hundreds Go Homeless in Widikum

 Hadiz Ibrahim

Saturday 7, 2012 was a black day in Widikum in Momo Division of the North West Region of Cameroon as heavy rains rendered hundreds homeless. Hundreds of houses are reported to have been destroyed by the flood as many villagers watched helplessly their lifetime investments being carried away. Even though no human casualty was registered, the level of destruction caused by the flood in Widikum is estimated in hundreds of millions of FCFA. Eye witness accounts that it is thanks to the timely intervention of the Member of Parliament for Widikum, Hon. Ewi Francis, who mobilized youths to come to the help of the population who were caught in the mad rush for lives that no human casualty was recorded. Yet a Commission headed by the Divisional Officer for Widikum is in the field working to establish the damages caused by the flood. The situation according to what we gathered is precarious as it is feared that the pools of water could generate into another problem. As for those who have lost all their belongings, the risk of an outbreak of malaria is very imminent. "We are trying to see how we can get some mosquito nets for the victims" Hon. Enwi Francis explained to this reporter on phone.

Since government machinery is always slow, public opinion is skeptical as to whether children who lost all their items will go back to school. Some schools are reported completely empty as pupils and students have neither pencils nor books.  Locals are talking of over 200 houses that have been destroyed with content completely watched away.

It should be recalled that a month a go, it was Babessi in Ngoketunjia that was hit by flood where 95 households were rendered homeless. It is not yet clear whether another philanthropist will emerge like was the case with Babessi where HRH Fon Chafah mobilized elite to come to the rescue to the population before government intervention. However, Minister Delegate in the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Jules Doret Ndongo visited the area on instruction of President Paul Biya where he dolled out FCFA 80 million as government support to victims.
However, it should be noted that environmentalists are of the opinion the rains have been too heavy this year as compared to the past years. More so, many of the disasters are linked to climate change giving that in areas like Widikum, which formerly was a forest area majority of the trees have been destroyed exposing the earth to erosion. 

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