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The Office of National Security (ONS) is believed to be taking precautionary measures to relocate residents from the areas at risk of another deadly mudslide.
The downpour on Friday 2nd August, 2019 reportedly left several people trapped in their vehicles as well as in their homes.
An SOS call for help was issued in the Blackhall area of Kissy in the East of the city, where several people were reported trapped under several feet of water.
Thousands of people living in the impoverished slum community of Kroo Bay, have been left homeless as many tin shacks were washed away. Two people are so far reported dead.
Although efforts are being made by the government and the Freetown City Council to ensure that the city’s drainage systems are cleared every Saturday, there are serious concerns that the rapid construction of roads and houses on the outskirts of the city is now causing major environmental impact. Billions of Leones are spent every month by the government on national cleaning.
Heavy rainfall is dragging tons of soil removed from construction sites, and carried away as mud into the city’s drainage system, causing serious blockage, as well as deposited on roads and private properties.
Also, the inability of the capital’s residents to end their love affair with plastics, and the inability of the authorities to deal with the problem posed by the dumping of plastic waste into the drainage system, is now costing lives.
Four people have been reported dead in Bathurst, when a wall collapsed due to the heavy rain.
“Heavy rains in Freetown, flooding in most places. No early warning signs, no information on extreme weather events, no preparedness or adaptation measures are the main reasons why it is difficult to mitigate disaster before they occur.
