With the floods in the Far North of Cameroon, the bridge connecting the center of the town of Yagoua and popular neighborhoods like Kaskao and Gabara gave way under the pressure of the waters. The town hall has installed a plank footbridge to allow those who cannot borrow a canoe to get around. A situation that has been seriously disrupting the daily lives of its residents and those of neighboring districts for almost a month. Reporting.
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With our special correspondent in Yagoua, Richard Onanena
Before the collapse of the only bridge in the city center of Yagoua, a city in the Far North of CameroonVincent was a farmer. Since the incident, he has found a new occupation: he regulates traffic on a temporary footbridge installed on both ends of what remains of the bridge structure. “ We tried to adapt things so that people could pass “, he explains.
This plank walkway is fragile. Consequence: only pedestrians, bicycles and motorcycles without heavy loads can pass. No way for transport vehicles to circulate. “ It totally slows down activities since it’s a main bridge that really connects two sides of the city. », underlines another local resident.
The breakdown of the bridge also disrupted the first week of classes: several students, particularly those in primary school, changed establishments.
Pierre Lirawa, mayor of Yagoua, hopes for more lasting solutions for the future of this city, hit by climate change: “ We have to rebuild this bridge and duplicate it because it is the only way. The city’s needs are numerous. Among other things, it is necessary to rebuild the classrooms and drinking water supply circuits destroyed by the floods and relocate the affected populations who live in flood-prone areas to an appropriate site. »
The destruction of this bridge in Yagoua came on top of significant material damage caused by floods in the Far North region of the country where the waters destroyed nearly 9,000 homes, and thousands of hectares of land. crops.
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