Several communities in Cameroon’s national capital, Yaounde, have been submerged after days of torrential rain, making life difficult for residents. The Central Post Office Roundabout was particularly affected, causing traffic disruptions on Monday morning, June 8. Locals reported that this area often floods during the rainy season.
“When the heart of the city is blocked, it goes without saying that many other parts of the city cease to function normally,” a local dweller told HumAngle. “That is exactly what has been happening in Yaounde since late last week.”
Following the downpour on Thursday, June 4, the door to the Central Post Office was inundated, completely blocking access to the facility. The flooding has also interfered with commercial activities in the area.
Eyewitnesses told HumAngle that 20th May Boulevard, a ceremonial avenue in the heart of Yaounde, was also submerged, with vehicles stuck in floodwaters and some trapped in mud washed into the city. “Towing facilities would have to be brought in to drag some of the cars and trucks stuck in the mud,” one eyewitness revealed.
“I feel fortunate that my vehicle is still here, but I’ve hardly slept since it got stuck, for fear of theft. It’s disheartening to see this situation repeat every year while the City Council allows conditions to worsen without taking action,” another witness said.
Flooding, especially around the Central Post Office, has become an annual crisis in Yaoundé. Atangana Davis, a civil society activist, said some Chinese contractors had dug drainage facilities around the post office, promising improvements. “Yet, the floods persist, worsening each year, demonstrating the failure of the council’s supposed infrastructure upgrades,” Atangana said.
The current floods highlight the urgent need to rehabilitate the city’s sanitation infrastructure, locals said. The rainwater evacuation network is often criticised for its insufficient capacity during heavy rain, compounded by frequent debris blockages in residential gutters that impede rainwater flow.
Town planner Isidore Djeunkeu said that the causes of this ongoing issue are known to everyone, including the City Council authorities. “It begs the question: why is it so challenging to find a solution to this recurring problem?” Isidore asked.
Several communities in Yaoundé, Cameroon, including the Central Post Office Roundabout, have experienced severe flooding due to continuous torrential rains, leading to significant disruptions in daily life and traffic.
The flooding not only blocked critical city infrastructure like the Central Post Office but also affected commercial activities and trapped vehicles in mud.
Despite previous efforts by Chinese contractors to improve drainage, the problem has persisted, indicating a failure in the city’s infrastructure upgrades. Locals and experts, including town planner Isidore Djeunkeu, have called for urgent rehabilitation of the city’s sanitation infrastructure, highlighting known inadequacies like insufficient rainwater evacuation systems and debris-blocked gutters, which exacerbate the flooding issues.