DOUALA, Cameroon — A pregnant woman tragically died of electrocution in Douala after torrential overnight rains inundated large parts of Cameroon’s economic capital, local authorities and residents reported Friday.
Neighbors discovered the victim’s body early Friday morning inside her residence. Emergency response crews and firefighters were dispatched to the scene to recover the body.
“I heard her speaking on the phone around 9:00 p.m., but nothing after that,” one resident told reporters. “When calls to her phone went unanswered, my husband checked the apartment. He opened the kitchen door and discovered her body.”
The deluge caused widespread disruption across the city, with Douala’s 5th District sustaining particularly extensive damage. Residents reported being caught off guard as floodwaters rose rapidly during the early hours of the morning.
“Around 2:00 a.m., I woke up and stepped out of bed, only to find the water was already knee-deep,” recalled one resident. “By the time I reached the living room, it had reached my thighs.”
Transportation came to a near-standstill during the morning rush hour. Major thoroughfares leading to the city center were impassable, forcing commuters and motorists to wait hours or abort their journeys entirely.
“I have been stranded here since 7:00 a.m. and cannot reach my workplace,” said one motorist stranded in traffic. “Faced with this level of flooding, I am uncertain whether to wait it out or turn back.”
Although municipal authorities have not yet released a full assessment of the financial and material damage, national meteorological services have advised residents to prepare for continued heavy rainfall over the coming days.
