Two children have reportedly been swept away by floodwaters following heavy rainfall in Bamenda II Subdivision, Mezam Division of the North West Region.
The victims have been identified as Azah Marie Clofas, 7, and Tse Emmanuel, 5. According to information gathered by The Observer, the children were carried away by fast-flowing water near their residence in the Ben and Bros neighbourhood at about 5 p.m. on Sunday, August 2, 2026.
Following the incident, the Army Rescue Unit in Bamenda, led by Senior Warrant Officer Taku Paul, immediately launched a search and rescue operation.
The team combed several locations, beginning from Ben and Bros through New Church Centre at La Chance Bridge, before extending the search downstream to areas below the Army Rescue Unit and Street Four Bridge.
Despite hours of intensive search on Sunday, the children had not been found by nightfall.
Those around the neighbourhood joined rescue workers in the operation, hoping to locate the missing children.
Speaking during the search, the head of the Army Rescue Unit, Senior Warrant Officer Taku Paul, said continuous rainfall and strong water currents were making the operation extremely difficult. He added that the search would resume on Monday, August 3, with the hope of finding them.
In another incident linked to the heavy rains, a Toyota Hilux parked at a garage near La Chance Bridge was reportedly carried away by the raging floodwaters.
The incidents followed several hours of torrential rainfall that triggered widespread flooding across parts of Bamenda, disrupting movement in several neighbourhoods.
The latest incidents have raised renewed concerns over the dangers posed by flooding during the peak of the rainy season, particularly in communities located close to rivers, streams and poorly drained areas.
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