AYV News, October 2, 2024
More than 2,500 people have been displaced in Port Loko district alone, with over 5,300 bushels of seed rice completely destroyed, following high sea tides and heavy rain in the North-West region of Sierra Leone.
Resident Minister of the North-West Region, Ambassador Dr. Umaru Bundu Wurrie, has issued an urgent call for immediate support for communities affected by the recent flooding in the region.
He stressed the pressing need for immediate intervention, as the government alone cannot meet the diverse needs of the victims, especially given the many pressing national issues currently at hand.
Amb. Wurrie spoke on the widespread devastation across several communities in the region, calling the situation dire and saying that immediate intervention is needed. He specifically mentioned Lokomasama, Marampa, Kamasundu, and Burreh chiefdoms in Port Loko district and Samu, Mambolo, Briamaya, and Magbema chiefdoms, where significant damage occurred.
In Karene district, properties worth millions of leones were destroyed.
Ambassador Wurrie expressed particular concern for women, children and older people, many of whom are now without shelter, food or clothing, whiles warning of a potential outbreak of waterborne diseases, as flooded latrines have contaminated hand-dug wells, leaving communities without access to safe drinking water.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has also reported on a survey they conducted, highlighting the need for comprehensive data on the number of affected communities, displaced persons, and damaged properties across the three districts in the region.
