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A major dam in the extreme north of Cameroon is under threat as a result of heavy rains which have increased the amount of water there, the official 'Cameroon Tribune' newspaper reported on Tuesday.
The rains have swelled the Mayo Danay river and, according to the paper, the dam over the river could cave in if the water pressure there remains high. However, it denied a report carried on Monday by state radio that the dam had cracked.
'Cameroon Tribune' said the report may have been prompted by the fact that technicians have been protectively spilling water from the reservoir.
According to AFP, the dam covers 37,000 ha and has more than 35 million m3 of water. More than 200,000 people could be affected if it were to cave in, the news agency said.
The government has allocated 100 million CFA francs (about US $160,000) for maintenance work on the dam, according to 'Cameroon Tribune'. It said a ministerial team that visited the dam on Sunday called on area residents to remain calm and to keep a constant watch on it.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions