Cameroon Onacc Minhdu: Issue Flood Landslide Alert For Next 3 Months

• Cameroon's Onacc and Minhdu have issued a joint alert for significant flood and landslide risks from September to November 2026.
• The forecast predicts abundant rainfall across most of Cameroon and average temperatures above historical levels.
• Nine regions, including urban centers like Yaoundé (Nkolbisson) and Ngaoundéré, are identified as high-risk flood zones.
• Minister Célestine Ketcha Courtes highlighted the particular vulnerability of densely populated urban areas to these climatic events.
• Rainfall is expected to support the second agricultural campaign in the Grand South, with an exception of below-normal rains in the western South region.

Lawyers and compliance officers should advise clients with assets or operations in the nine identified high-risk regions of Cameroon on potential flood and landslide impacts, reviewing insurance coverage, and assessing compliance with urban planning and environmental regulations to mitigate risks and liabilities.

Cameroon's national climate and urban development agencies have issued a joint warning regarding significant flood and landslide risks across the country for the upcoming three-month period. The Observatoire national des changements climatiques (Onacc) and the Ministère de l’Habitat et du développement urbain (Minhdu) have highlighted the potential for widespread disruption from September through November 2026.

This alert stems from Onacc's 36th Seasonal Bulletin and its 272nd Risk Bulletin, which forecast abundant rainfall across Cameroon. In response to these projections, Célestine Ketcha Courtes, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, released a radio-press communiqué emphasizing the particular vulnerability of urban centers due to their high population density. The combined warnings underscore a critical period for risk management and preparedness.

The Onacc bulletin indicates that the prevailing weather patterns for the next three months will be characterized by a continuation of the rainy season in several key regions. This includes the Soudano-Sahelian zone, encompassing the North and Far North, as well as the Highlands regions of the West and North-West, Adamaoua, and the unimodal forest zone covering Littoral and South-West Cameroon. Concurrently, the bimodal zone, which comprises the Centre, East, and South regions, is expected to experience its major rainy season.

While abundant precipitation is anticipated across most of the nation, an exception is noted for the western part of the South region, specifically areas like Kribi, Ambam, Ebolowa, Campo, and Zoétélé, where rainfall is projected to be below normal levels. Despite this localized anomaly, the overall rainfall is deemed sufficient to support the second agricultural campaign in the Grand South, particularly in the Centre, East, and South regions. Furthermore, the Onacc bulletin forecasts average temperatures that will exceed the historical mean recorded between 1950 and 2022.

The Minhdu's warning specifically identifies urban areas as particularly susceptible to the predicted climatic conditions, attributing this heightened risk to their dense populations. The agency has pinpointed nine regions across Cameroon that face a high risk of flooding. Although the communiqué mentioned three types of risks, the detailed information provided primarily focuses on the flood threat.

Among the areas explicitly named are several cities within the Adamaoua region, including Ngaoundéré, Hossere-Koba, and Mayo-Baleo. In the Centre region, parts of the capital city, Yaoundé, particularly the Nkolbisson area, are also highlighted as significant flood hotspots. These specific designations underscore the localized and severe nature of the impending Risque inondation glissement terrain Cameroun, necessitating targeted mitigation efforts.

Given the explicit warnings from the Observatoire national des changements climatiques Cameroun and the Ministère Habitat Développement Urbain Cameroun, the impending flood and landslide risks carry significant legal and compliance implications for businesses and individuals operating in the affected regions. Lawyers and compliance officers should proactively advise clients with assets or operations in the nine identified high-risk regions of Cameroon on potential flood and landslide impacts. This includes a thorough review of existing insurance coverage to ensure adequate protection against property damage and business interruption.

Furthermore, it is crucial to assess compliance with local urban planning and environmental regulations, especially in densely populated urban centers like Yaoundé Nkolbisson, which are particularly vulnerable to Célestine Ketcha Courtes inondations warnings. Proactive measures to mitigate risks and potential liabilities, such as reinforcing infrastructure or implementing emergency response plans, become paramount. Understanding the specifics of the Onacc bulletin risques Cameroun is essential for developing robust risk management strategies and ensuring adherence to all relevant legal frameworks.

Lawyers and compliance officers should advise clients with assets or operations in the nine identified high-risk regions of Cameroon on potential flood and landslide impacts, reviewing insurance coverage, and assessing compliance with urban planning and environmental regulations to mitigate risks and liabilities.

Source: Original reporting via Cameroonian climate and urban development agencies.