Sierra Leone has again recorded a major landslide in one of the country’s mountain communities called Moyiba.
The heavy downpour past weekend caused a landslide in the community and at least 6 houses submerged under the soil. No death yet reported but properties worth millions of leones were completely destroyed.
Director of Communications at the National Disaster Management Agency, Mohamed L. Bah said: “The incident happened at night. We had visited the area beforehand and advised residents to evacuate, which they did, resulting in no fatalities.
“The main waterways coming from the hill had been blocked, causing water to find its own paths and undermine the integrity of the entire area. Over time, the water eroded the hillside, leading to its eventual collapse. It seems that some people are either stubborn or do not fully appreciate the risks to their lives”.
Reports say the residents were quick to notice the signs and evacuated the structures before the slide.
Moyiba is a hillside settlement in the far east of Freetown, which has experienced rapid population increase. The community lacks proper drainage facilities and waste dumpsites, and waste collection services are hampered by the steep and rugged hills and limited road access.
Many residents are unable to pay for waste collection services. This results in rampant disposal of rubbish around water collection facilities, streams, and on roads, which then gets washed further down into the community.
During peak rainy season, water seepages from decomposed materials penetrates water sources used for drinking. Additionally, toilet conditions are generally poor as most people use shared pit latrines.
Specifically, some community residents were depositing rubbish at a dam constructed by Action Contre La Faim (ACF), which was reported to be affecting the water quality.
To address this issue, community planning meetings took place to agree on a plan and to generate resources. The meetings were attended by stakeholders including community chiefs, youth, women, and other residents.
The key action point from these discussions was the cleaning and fortifying of the dam with sticks to prevent further waste dumping. Many residents who supported this initiative showed good will by agreeing to be part of awareness-raising activities.
Additionally, the Community Disaster Management Committee (CDMC) and the United stakeholders in Moyiba held community-wide sensitisation activities to raise awareness about poor waste dumping and encourage proper waste management practices. They are also working with community chiefs to enforce bylaws against poor waste disposal, particularly in public spaces, such as streams.