By RFPosted on 08-08-2019Modified on 08-08-2019 at 15:58
Sierra Leone is facing torrential rains and the fear of further deadly floods. At least seven people have died and 8,000 have been displaced in the past week, according to the country's national security.
The government is currently assessing the damage of the past few days and distributing emergency aid for the most vulnerable people. The majority of recent flood victims are slum dwellers near Freetown and swampy areas, according to the National Security Bureau.
A landslide has taken several houses in a popular area of the capital. Two people also died in the collapse of their home.
According to the Red Cross, several thousand people must be relocated urgently after seeing their property submerged by the water. The organization is worried and mentions the lack of drinking water in the affected areas.
Already more than 1,000 dead in 2017
This kind of disaster is unfortunately recurrent in Sierra Leone. The country has experienced several major floods in recent years. The deadliest was in 2017 , two years ago. More than 1,000 people died, including a huge landslide that claimed hundreds of lives.
This time, the authorities have already advised people living in areas at risk to leave their homes, in anticipation of bad weather that will continue in the coming days.
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