A wave of water released by a burst dam killed at least 28 people in Cameroon’s capital Yaounde following heavy rains, with the death toll expected to rise, authorities said on Monday.
A colonial-era dam gave way at around 4pm (1500 GMT) on Sunday, unleashing water from a small lake down the steep hillside of the Mbankolo neighbourhood, said local leader Assola Joseph.
The deluge swept away a large chunk of hillside, destroying homes and burying the area in debris and mud. Residents and rescue workers on Monday picked through the mess of rubble, broken timber, uprooted banana trees and corrugated metal.
“The search is on but we can say the situation is under control,” communications minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi said at the site.
Twenty-eight people died and more than 20 had been injured, he said.
Among the dead were children attending a birthday party, said resident Fanwi Believer.
A Reuters journalist at the scene saw five bodies being carried away and some 30 destroyed houses. Among the personal belongings buried in mud were a walking stick, a wedding photo, school textbooks and toys.
Residents look at the destruction caused by a landslide due to heavy rains in the district of Mbankolo, northwest of Yaounde, on Monday.
