WorldsAid historical record · Node 1838
Flash Floods in Buea, Cameroon
On 18 March 2023, the city of Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon, was hit by powerful flash floods that caused extensive damage and displacement.
- Original publication
- 2023-03-20
- Event / place
- CM · FLASH FLOOD / MUDSLIDE
- Status
- HISTORICAL EVENT · RESTORED CITED RECORD
- Recovery reviewed
- 13 September 2026
About this record
Original report recovered from an archived page
This page preserves the dated report, including historical wording. Later observations appear separately and do not replace it. An earlier site reconstruction incorrectly attributed 2,000 affected people and five deaths to OCHA’s 28 March note. The dated assessment below corrects that attribution; the archived report is unchanged.
Snapshot: 2024-10-09. The report body and its links are preserved below; the old navigation is omitted.
Archived report
On 18 March 2023, the city of Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon, was hit by powerful flash floods that caused extensive damage and displacement. According to reports, dozens of buildings and homes were destroyed or damaged, leaving families homeless. Unfortunately, one person reportedly died after being dragged by flood water, while five others were injured. The situation is still developing, and authorities have yet to confirm any details or figures. However, some local media sources have reported a much higher death toll, while others indicate that at least six people are missing.
Buea is a city of around 300,000 inhabitants located on the eastern slopes of Mount Cameroon. Observers noted that the heavy rainfall on 18 March flowed down the steep slopes and into residential and business areas of the city. The poor drainage infrastructure in the city was unable to cope with the volume of water, exacerbating the impact of the floods. It is worth noting that Buea experienced flooding in similar circumstances in March 2020.
The flash floods have caused significant damage to the affected areas and have left many families homeless. The situation is of great concern to the authorities, who are currently assessing the extent of the damage and the number of people affected. Emergency services are working to provide support to the affected communities, including food, shelter, and medical care for those injured. The government has also promised to provide support to those who have lost their homes and possessions as a result of the floods.
The flash floods in Buea are a tragic reminder of the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities. As extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, it is critical that governments and communities work together to strengthen infrastructure and develop effective disaster response strategies. While the immediate priority is to provide support to those affected by the floods, it is also essential to learn from this event to mitigate future risks and prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
In conclusion, the flash floods in Buea have caused significant damage and displacement, with one reported death and five injuries. Emergency services and the government are working to provide support to affected communities, but the full extent of the damage and the number of people affected is yet to be confirmed. The event highlights the urgent need for effective disaster response strategies and climate change mitigation measures to protect vulnerable communities in Cameroon and beyond.
Later assessment · 28 March 2023
Flash floods and mudslides struck Buea on 18 March 2023. OCHA’s information note of 28 March distinguishes 900 people directly affected from approximately 3,000 people affected by damage to water infrastructure. It reports two deaths, four people hospitalized and one missing. The original WorldsAid report, published on 20 March, is preserved at its permanent node address alongside these later dated findings.
Dated figures
- People directly affected
- 900 in approximately 150 households · OCHA 28 March 2023
OCHA information note · 28 March 2023 - People affected by damaged water services
- Approximately 3,000 in 500 households · OCHA 28 March 2023
OCHA information note · 28 March 2023 - Reported deaths
- 2 · OCHA 28 March 2023
OCHA information note · 28 March 2023 - Hospitalized / missing
- 4 hospitalized; 1 missing · OCHA 28 March 2023
OCHA information note · 28 March 2023
Related sections
- Aid zone: AFRICA
- Disaster or event: FLASH FLOOD / MUDSLIDE
- Country: Cameroon
Linked charities and agencies
Citations of this record
- Springer Nature · Urban Forum · 2024
Cites the Buea flash-flood report in its discussion of urban vulnerability and resilience. The cited WorldsAid item is a flood report, not a set of conflict or displacement indicators.
Sources and recovery history
- OCHA · South-West Region information note on floods in Buea · 28 March 2023
- ReliefWeb · Cameroon floods · March 2023
- Urban Forum · independent citation of WorldsAid node 1838
- Archived WorldsAid report
The node number and title were compared with the cited publication and the available record export. The archive capture was retrieved and the article body extracted in this review.
Retrieved 13 September 2026. Archive capture SHA-256: 0981ce51c59b592f57f43129f22e97b0f64c37878067d32d9cca9f187f37b0d5.
Figures on this historical page describe their stated reporting period. A recovery date is not a new observation of the emergency.