Vivid mournful memories of a disaster in Cameroon have been revived by a foul smell coming from Lake Kuk in northwestern Cameroon. The smell caused panic among some local villagers who remembered the 1986 disaster.
Lake Kuk reported witnessed a strange colour sending panic down the spines of the local population. The strange occurrence was noticed on Monday August 29, 2022.
To reassure the populations living near Lake Kuk, in the district of Fungom, who are worried about seeing this body of water change color and give off an odor in the surroundings, the Divisional Officer of Menchum has tried to provide explanations. In a press release on August 30, the Divisional Officer Abdoulahi Aliou explains that the phenomenon is due to the heavy rains that have fallen in the region in recent weeks. “As the scientists explain, it should be noted that the sudden change observed is due to heavy rains that shook the water level, which brought to the surface the particles deposited at the bottom of the lake”, explains the administrative authority.
On the smell that invaded the surrounding villages, the Divisional Officer adds that “said particles, rising to the surface, caused chemical reactions that caused the smell in the region”. While inviting the populations to remain calm , the Divisional Officer Abdoulahi Aliou calls on them to report any information on a change in the situation.
In 1986, a sudden underwater gas leak at Lake Nyos near the village of Kuk killed more than 1,700 people and thousands of cattle. This limnic eruption has since been brought under control but the memories are struggling to come out of the heads of the villagers.