Is Seawater Devouring Cameroon’s West Coast? The Startling Reality Unveiled!
Kribi, Cameroon – The relentless encroachment of the Atlantic Ocean’s waters has left a trail of devastation along Cameroon’s 400-kilometer coastline. The destruction has been so severe that authorities in the central African nation have suspended fishing and tourism in the coastal town of Kribi. Desperate residents are now pleading for government assistance.
A Catastrophic Scene
Seaside shops, crumbling walls, and abandoned fishing boats in Kribi bear witness to the destructive power of the relentless waves. Many buildings, particularly those belonging to fishermen, have been either completely swept away or left in ruins.
Tina Richard, a 70-year-old tourist guide, recounts the heart-wrenching loss of his property to the encroaching waters. Wave surges on Tuesday ravaged coastal villages, hotels, residential areas, and plantations, including parts of Tina’s own home.
A History of Devastation
Kribi has been no stranger to ocean waters wreaking havoc in the past, with floods occurring in 1977, 2003, and 2013. However, Tina asserts that the current destruction is far more devastating than anything witnessed before.
A Struggle to Preserve
Nouhou Bello, the highest-ranking government official in the Kribi district, is taking measures to mitigate the destruction and protect the town’s residents. Building construction within 200 meters of the ocean has been prohibited, and police have been instructed to prevent tourists and locals from swimming in the Atlantic Ocean until further notice. The danger of drowning in the increasingly powerful waves looms large, threatening to destroy more homes, villages, plantations, and fishing communities.
Kribi, home to 70,000 people, remains a popular seaside resort in central Africa, attracting around 60,000 tourists annually, predominantly from Europe, America, and Asia. Unfortunately, the encroaching ocean waters have led to a significant decline in economic activity, devastating livestock farms and causing a shortage of supplies for fish sellers from the nearby cities of Douala and Yaounde.
A Call for Urgent Government Support
The majority of Kribi’s population consists of fishermen and farmers who are now facing dire circumstances, with poverty and hunger being daily struggles. Their plea for immediate government assistance remains unanswered, leaving them vulnerable and desperate for support.
The government has not indicated whether it plans to provide aid to those affected by the encroaching ocean waters.
Rising Sea Levels and Global Warming
The Cameroonian Ministry of Environment attributes the encroachment of ocean waters on coastal lands to global warming and rising sea levels. This alarming trend has serious implications for the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). With 30% of its population residing along the coastline, CEMAC is at significant risk from the ongoing rise in sea levels.
Cameroon’s Ministry of Economy is actively seeking funds to construct a 100-kilometer coastal dike to combat erosion and reduce flooding. However, no specific details regarding the required funding or the project’s commencement date have been disclosed.