SHARE
This Freetown Flood Emergency Response Project (FFER) is funded by the Start Fund, a multi-donor pooled fund that is able to provide rapid financing in the event of crises.
From Culvert to Wellington, Looking Town, and Mount Aureol, CARE Sierra Leone in partnership with HEALTH ALERT Sierra Leone and NDMA has continued the very important exercise of direct engagements with those communities that have been affected by the flooding and mudslide disasters during the heavy rains in August 2022.
The focus of the engagements has been consistent: sensitization of disaster-affected communities in Freetown on how to manage and prevent emerging environmental disasters with specific focus on flooding and mudslide. A part of the engagement has also been information sharing around the distribution of food and non-food items, dignity kits and cash (via cash transfer) to ensure clarity.
An important aspect to note is that these engagements with the affected communities has also provided opportunity to hear from the participants themselves on their concerns.
In Mount Aureol for example, residents have expressed bitter concern about the increased flooding they face during the heavy rains, blaming their predicament on the construction of the almost completed Hill Side By-pass Road.
The Residents, particularly those in the lower areas of Mount Aureol, including Manfred Lane, and Easton Street are complaining that engineers constructing the Hill Side By-pass Road have directed all the water coming from the hill through narrow drainages to flow into the lower part of the hill, affecting their homes and exposing them to increased flooding.
"The unfortunate thing that has happened to this community is the road they have constructed, Ginger Hall community Section Chief, Denis Massaquoi stated". He said before the road was designed in the way it is now affecting them, they had written NDMA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their intervention, but to no avail.
"They have created a disaster for us. The water that was running down here before now was not flowing as it is flowing now. The water is heavy for us. We have no control over the water coming from the hills during the rains," he said, adding:
"I told them, the water coming from the hills is too much. If they construct small drainages and direct all the water to run through those drainages, it will overflow. During the rains this year, water overflew the street and would have to go on every year until something is done about it."
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In his statement, another resident, Shek Amadu Fofanah said: "... the problem here is the road and Road Transport. When it is raining, we don't sleep." He called on authorities to come to their aid.
"The entire water running from the hill has been directed to Manfred Lane. We want them to open the drainage, another resident lamented," Saudi Sesay added.
Speaking at the event, Darlton John, Program Manager for HEALTH ALERT Sierra Leone enlightened the participants of the meeting about climate change and how it is changing the world.
He also encouraged the people to always clean their drainages and surroundings to avoid blockages which in turn would prevent flooding disasters and the associated waterborne diseases, which can affect everyone, whether directly touched by the flooding or not.
