The South-West region explains that , heavy rainfall alone does not explain the mudslides from Mount Cameroon, which have devastated part of the city of Buea. Bernard Okalia Bilaï also points to the proliferation of anarchic constructions in the area affected by this disaster.

“The mountain has its water passages. When this water pours with so much force, if it does not find these passages free, then it will create other passages and we will live consequences like this,” explained Governor Bernard Okalia Bilaï to the press.

This probably explains the fact that the Buea Town area, at the foot of Mount Cameroon, is largely affected by these deadly mudslides. A student at the Survey School in Buea, an annex of the National School of Public Works (ENSTP), points out that Buea Town is a neighbourhood under construction where buildings are constantly coming up. He happens to work on some construction sites in this area.

This is also the case in Biaka, the other area of the city that suffered from mudflows due to heavy rains. There was less damage in Biaka, according to some witnesses. This is certainly due to the fact that this district is located at the foot of a mountain lower than Mount Cameroon, which rises to over 4,000 metres.

To avoid a similar disaster in the future, Bernard Okalia Bilaï invites the population to respect “the laws that govern construction standards”. This means no longer building on waterways and avoiding risky areas.