Heavy Flooding in Douala 5th district, Sable and Bonamoussadi September 11, 2026 after torrential rains killed a pregnant woman, wounded many, cut off roads, destroyed property.
In the Douala 5th district, the floods of September 11, 2026, turned Sable and Bonamoussadi into islands of distress, once again highlighting the urgent need for a structural response.
The first images circulated on social media showed entire streets in Sable and Bonamoussadi—iconic neighborhoods in this district north of the economic capital completely submerged in muddy water. Abandoned cars, motionless motorcycle taxis, hesitant pedestrians, and families watching their belongings float away.
The Kondi river, which flows through the 3rd and 5th districts, was overflowed once again, inundating adjacent streets and low-lying homes. Residents describe the “sudden” rise in water levels—”like an advancing wall.” Businesses at the Sable market closed their doors before even opening for the day; stalls were submerged, and merchandise were destroyed or swept away.
In Bonamoussadi, the situation was not better. The main roads connecting the neighborhood to Makepe and the rest of the district become impassable.
Taxis refuse to venture into the flooded areas, leaving residents to fend for themselves.
“We walk through water up to our knees—sometimes deeper,” says Éric, a Bonamoussadi resident who spoke to our team. “Children haven’t gone to school. Motorbikes can’t get through. We’re stranded.”
This is not the first time the Sable, Bonamoussadi and neighboring districts like Makepe-Missoke, Mbanga Mpongo, and Bepanda find themselves underwater, residents attest.
In May 2026, a five-year-old child was swept away by floodwaters in Banya-Sable. In July, a building declared “at risk of collapse” fell down in Bonamoussadi, killing six people, including three children. The list of tragedies grows longer season after season, yet structural solutions remain absent, residents say.
Environment experts say the causes of the floods are known, documented, and frequently cited. Rapid, unregulated urbanization has paved over marshy areas, preventing natural water absorption.
Existing drainage are clogged with household waste and illegal construction. The sanitation network, dilapidated and undersized, can no longer handle the torrential rains that hit the Littoral region every year.
Furthermore, the proximity of the Wouri River—where tides sometimes surge back up the canals—exacerbates every flooding event.
On paper, the authorities say much has been invested. The Douala storm water drainage project, funded by the Debt Reduction and Development Contract (C2D) to the tune of CFA 11.81 billion, has led to the construction of 35.26 km of concrete drains and the reshaping of 13.54 km of canals.
However, in Sable and Bonamoussadi, the work has not yet yielded the expected results. Worse still, certain structures built illegally over waterways—sometimes linked to “local administrative officials”—are clogging the drains and blocking water runoff.