Skip to main content

Sierra Leone Mudslide Death Toll Reaches 1 000

Freetown — The death toll following devastating mudslides and floods in Sierra Leone has doubled to over 1 000.
The tragedy occurred slightly a fortnight ago, coming shortly after the Ebola virus hit the West African country alongside Guinea and Liberia. The disease claimed some 14 000 lives by January last year.
Initially, Sierra Leone's government reported over 450 people had died from mudslides and floods, with victims largely those living in informal settlements.
Henry Neondo, a spokesperson for the aid group, HelpAge International, said with hundreds of people still uncounted for, the death toll was expected to rise substantially. He said research indicated older persons and those with disabilities were at greater risk of injury and harm due to mobility challenges.
"They are less likely to flee due to hardships associated with travel and a reluctance to leave home, land and possessions," Neondo said. The spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhoea following flooding is also a huge concern particularly in the capital Freetown.

"The city's drainage system got badly damaged by the torrential rains, leaving stagnant water in most areas," said Alex Carle, director of international programmes at the Red Cross. President Ernest Bai Koroma said the devastation was overwhelming.
He appealed for urgent help to support the thousands of people affected by the mudslide. Humanitarian groups said as the country entered the recovery phase it would need assistance to help affected people back on their feet.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

African Politicians Seeking Medical Help Abroad Is Shameful, and Harms Health Care

 Credit: Tahiru Azaaviele Liedong, University of Bath Photo: Allafrica.com Top-left: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. Top-right: Former president of Zamiba Levy Mwanawasa. Bottom-left: Former Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi. Bottom-right: Former Guinea-Bissau president Malam Bacai Sanhá                                                                                             ANALYSIS By Tahiru Azaaviele Liedong, University of Bath There is an African idiom that if a man does not eat at home, he may never give his wife enough money to cook a good pot of soup. This might just be true when applied to politicians on the continent seeking medical help anywhere but home. Africa's public health systems are in a depressing condition. Preve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Boat with 300 migrants arrives in Spain after week at sea

A charity rescue vessel carrying mainly African migrants plucked off Libya docked in Spain, ending a traumatic journey which saw them spending Christmas at sea and several European nations denied the ship entry. Migrants look out from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued in the Central Mediterranean Sea on December 21, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, December  A Spanish aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea arrived in Spain on Friday, ending a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean. The boat, operated by the nonprofit group Proactiva Open Arms, docked at the Spanish port of Algeciras. The boat rescued 313 migrants in waters near Libya last week, but had to travel to Spain after Malta denied it permission to dock and Italy and other countries refused to help. Three of the migrants were later evacuated for health reasons. Oscar Camps, head of Proactiva...
Post a Comment
Read more

Concerns rise for refugees who could face violence if Italian coastguard return them to Libya

Concerns are rising for the thousands of refugees and migrants who risk their lives at sea to get to Europe, following Italy's decision to take those rescued off the coast of Libya back to the country they are fleeing in future. Aid organisations are said to be "horrified" at the idea of taking rescued refugees back to their home country at a time when revelations of the violent beatings and torture they could face on their return are emerging. One Oxfam worker, Stefano Dimarco, said: "In Libya there are no human rights there is we cannot talk about a normal situation." Many Libyan refugees and migrant arrive in Europe by boats that are picked up off the coast of Italy  Credit: ITV News According to Oxfam a major report it is releasing next week is set to reveal dozens of testimonies of torture, sexual violence and murder against refugees and migrants in Libya just as Italy's parliament has authorised its coastguard to help take those pi...
1 comment
Read more