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Sierra Leone
Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Disaster in Freetown as heavy rains and mudslides hit coastal city: over 200 people reported dead so far

HomeAYV NewsDisaster in Freetown as heavy rains and mudslides hit coastal city: over...

Disaster in Freetown as heavy rains and mudslides hit coastal city: over 200 people reported dead so far

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By noon, the coroner’s technician at the Connaught Hospital mortuary, Mr. Sinneh Kamara ,  told the media that 215 bodies  had  been collected from the disaster sites which experienced heavy flooding and mudslides. By the afternoon, it was reported that 312 bodies had been transported to the mortuary , which had become full.

Kamara has called on Sierra Leoneans to visit the Connaught mortuary and identify the corpses for burial.

While people were still in bed sleeping this morning,  heavy down pour of rain caused landslides  at Regent,  the Motumeh community , IMATT  and the back of the Guma Valley gate and has left more than 100 houses covered , according to some reports.

Heavier than normal rains had been falling in Sierra Leone since the rainy season started.

A section of a hill collapsed at Regent, burying some houses.

Upper Regent Road, Lumley, a community called Pentagon, was also seriously devastated.

The death toll is expected to rise.

Rescue teams are presently searching for more bodies.

AYV TV reported that 60 babies were counted so far among the dead. He said the capacity of the mortuary can no longer contain the influx of bodies and called on the president to release the ambulances.

Another community called Pentagon situated at Upper Regent Road, Lumley is said to have also been crushed by landslides.

John Bestman , an eyewitness , reported : “Horrific scenes as cars swept off by the ravaging flood and floating dead bodies can be seen in shocking photos showing the devastation. I shed tears when I realized the severity of the deluge. The race is on to recover corpses floating in the water to stop disease. “

President Ernest Koroma held an emergency meeting with the Office of National Security (ONS), Police, Military personnel, Members of parliament and the Vice President, Dr. Victor Foh. According to reports, rescue measures and the repatriation of the homeless were among matters discussed.

Just coming from the Mortuary but gruesome photos I won’t post. Mortuary staffs are crying over bodies coming with missing parts. This will make it difficult for relatives to be able to identify the bodies of their loved ones.

The response team is doing a great job at the moment.

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