The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) says more than 1,000 people have been made homeless after a violent windstorm swept through Nimba, Bong and Gbarpolu Counties.
Speaking Thursday, March 21, 2024 at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing, NDMA Executive Director Ansu V.S. Dulleh, Sr. said the windstorms caused widespread damages in the counties leaving at least 298 homes destroyed.
He said NDMA dispatched a team of responders to work along with the local authorities in these counties to ascertain the gravity of the situation.
According to him, the team observed that in Weasua Town, Gbapolu, Janplee, Garmue, and Pantah in Bong County, and Zoeplaygbor in Nimba, several homes were entirely or partially destroyed as a result of heavy windstorms, leaving many, especially women and children, homeless.
“Available data from Gbapolu shows that out of 101 homes, 52 have been badly damaged, while 49 were partially damaged,” he said.
However, the total number of affected persons stands at seven hundred and sixty-nine (769) in Gbapolu County.
He stated that in Bong County, records indicate that out of 82 homes, 45 have been badly damaged, while 37 were partially damaged.
Dulleh indicated that Nimba County reports that out of 37 affected structures, two have been entirely destroyed, with a fourteen-year-old girl sustaining severe injuries, and the number of people affected stands at 268 in Nimba.
Meanwhile, it can be established that 1,863 people were affected with two persons sustaining serious injuries in these counties. Investigation also reveals that the windstorms devastated four infrastructures.
However, he assured that efforts are being made by the government, through the NDMA, to address the humanitarian needs of the affected population.
Furthermore, the NDMA sends EARLY WARNING, that based on the “World Bank Group Climate Risk Profile-2024 for Liberia "e; predicting that rainfall patterns this year will increase extremely, accompanied by windstorms and flood impacts, agricultural yields, disease outbreaks, and critical infrastructure for water, sanitation and hygiene and may as well lead to human injuries and the loss of lives; the public is advised to be on the ALERT.
“Vulnerable communities along the coast of Liberia are advised to also be on the alert for coastal erosion as a result of rising sea levels,” he said.
Based on this scientific information, he predicted that over 100,000 persons are expected to fall prey to flood, windstorm and coastal erosion this year.
He stated that considering the impacts caused by windstorms in Nimba, Bong and Gbarpolu Counties, it is clear that the public must get prepared for the rains, floods, windstorms and rising sea levels.
