President Paul Biya of Cameroon has directed the immediate demolition of illegal and structurally unsound houses in Douala, the country’s most populous city and economic centre. This directive followed the tragic collapse of a four-storey building onto a smaller edifice on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of at least 33 people, among them four children. Rescuers continue to sift through the rubble in the hope of locating survivors.
The calamitous event instigated a response from emergency services and military personnel who employed spades and military-grade bulldozers to clear the rubble, as a crowd of spectators looked on.
Lieutenant Colonel Abdel Kadrey, who heads one of the military’s Fire Fighting Departments, supervised operations at the scene, hoping for successful rescues amidst the recovery of bodies. Kadrey highlighted that the building, which was in a significantly degraded state, collapsed around 1:00 am local time and no longer posed a threat to its surroundings.
The residential block was estimated to be home to 160 people when it fell onto a two-story structure that housed 60 more. Governor Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua of Cameroon’s Littoral region, where Douala is situated, expressed a dimming hope of finding additional survivors as time passed.
“Regrettably, as each hour passes, our hope of finding survivors lessens,” he admitted. “We wish to reassure the population that 31 people are currently receiving treatment in hospitals, and our military is working diligently to ensure no one remains trapped in the wreckage. We are hopeful that they will conclude their efforts today or tomorrow.”
Those injured are receiving medical care at Douala’s Laquintinie and Dieudo hospitals.
Following Sunday’s tragedy, President Biya dispatched a delegation led by the Housing and Urban Development Minister to Douala, instructing them to initiate the demolition of unsafe properties. This move occurs in conjunction with Douala’s city council’s efforts to demolish at-risk buildings in flood or landslide-prone areas.
Last year, the council and housing ministry identified over 500 buildings in high-risk areas that were on the verge of collapse. Despite orders to reinforce or demolish these structures, the city council reports that fewer than 40 were repaired and none demolished.
City officials confirmed that the building that collapsed was not marked for demolition. Edward Nfor, a member of the Cameroon Civil Society Group and building contractor, criticised the perceived negligence by the authorities towards enforcing building safety standards.
“Such occurrences are the direct result of everyone doing as they please, without consideration for crucial factors like geotechnical surveys before embarking on multi-story construction. In a city like Douala, planning is vital to avoid areas prone to floods or landslides,” Nfor asserted.
No response has been forthcoming from the Cameroonian government concerning these allegations. However, earlier in June, it issued a public warning regarding substandard cement and iron rods sold in the country.
The incident has deeply affected the community, with Archbishop Samuel Kleda of Douala expressing his condolences, assuring his prayers and spiritual support for the victims and their families.
In a recent visit to the site of the disaster, Archbishop Kleda confirmed plans to organise a Holy Mass in honour of the victims. “We will communicate on that at the appropriate time,” he said. Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Celestine Ketcha Courtes, also visited the scene, offering the government’s condolences and emphasising the importance of adhering to urbanisation standards and building regulations.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Grace Ekpu
