Limbe, South West:

Land Slide leaves Building Hanging over a Cliff

By Ticha Melanis in Limbe

Land Slide leaves Building

A three apartment building at Mbende quarters in Limbe was on Monday 26 August 2018 affected by a soil creep which completely chopped off its frontage, leaving the building hanging on a precipice. The incident occurred early morning when the occupants of the house were already awake. So, no lives were lost or property destroyed. The only damage caused was that on a room down the slope of the affected area.

            This other landslide comes just one month after a terrible one which took away the lives of six persons, at Mbonjo quarters.

            Following the Mbonjo incident, people living in risk zones were asked by the Limbe Government Delegate to relocate to safer areas. But it appears the GD’s advice, which was also re-echoed by the SW Governor, fell on deaf ears.

            Asked what they intend to do taking into consideration that the building might collapse in the event of another creep, the occupants of the “hanging house’ complained of not knowing where else to go to. They said they will stay and monitor the situation despite the cracks on the ground.

"I cannot just leave evacuate a house I have been living in for years and relocate. Besides, we don't have anywhere else to go to," said the Land lady's daughter.

            She added that some technical staffs from the Limbe City Council have come and examined the situation to ascertain the level of damage caused and have advised the people of the house below the slopes to move out lest they get affected in case of another occurrence.

            “We will stay back and monitor the situation, paying attention to the fault lines,” said the young lady.

            Soil creep also known as landslide is the movement of rocks and soil down a low grade slope. It can be the result of too much stress and pressure on the affected area due to heavy rains that wet the soil rendering it heavy.

            With such areas in towns like Limbe, it is necessary to develop a landslide activity map and a risk management plan.