Crr — The Regional Disaster Management Agency (RDMA) in Central River Region (CRR) on Tuesday assisted nine households across the region that were affected by fire disaster, with food and non-food items, at a ceremony held at Janjangbureh. The donated items included: rice, oil, detergents and clothes among others.

Speaking to this reporter shortly after the presentation, Bubacarr Fofana, the regional disaster management coordinator, affirmedthat the humanitarian response was warrantedby the fire outbreaks that affected the victims and destroyed their properties. He affirmed that the assistance was provided to nine households comprising 98 people. These people, he lamented, have lost valuable items, thus the need for urgent assistance.

The properties destroyed, Fofana further revealed, included dwelling, foodstuff, clothes and other valuable materials. He opined that fire disasters increase poverty; hence the need for people in the area to be mindful of such incidents, as they can cause havoc on lives and properties.

For his part, Alhaji Neneh Mbye, applauded RDMA for the humanitarian gesture, noting with delight that the people of the region have been receiving assistance from NDMA, WFP and other humanitarian partners since the 2011 crop failure. He thanked them for assisting the needy and called on the people to make fire belts around their villages and compounds in order to ward off fire disasters.