On 2 August, torrential rains falling on already saturated soil caused flooding in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital. Find help on how to use the site, read terms and conditions, view the FAQs and API documentation. Learn more about ReliefWeb, leading online source for reliable and timely humanitarian information on global crises and disasters since 1996. Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone has been experiencing persistent torrential rains from late May 2019 to August 2019. 3, September 2019, 2019 Africa Report on Internal Displacement. ACAPS Briefing Note: Floods in Freetown, Sierra Leone 2 Crisis impact Sierra Leone, has recorded significant rainfall since beginning of June. Coastal flood Hazard level: High? President Ernest Bai Koroma has declared a national emergency, with the military and Red Cross deployed to search for survivors. Share. At least five people are dead after flash flooding hit Sierra Leone’s capital on Friday amid torrential rains, mortuary sources said. However, the country has seen the very real impact of climate change in recent years - including devastating flash flooding and landslides that claimed the lives of thousands of people in August 2017. Effect of sea level rise or sea level change can be seen on the map. We advocate for effective and principled humanitarian action by all, for all. Access your account or create a new one for additional features or to post job or training opportunities. Life expectancy in Kroo Town is just 35: ten years below the national average. Flooding poses a significant and pervasive risk to communities in the country – between 1980 and 2010, over 220,000 people in Sierra Leone were affected by flooding and 90% of people affected by disaster in Sierra Leone were affected by floods (EMDAT, 2009; UNDP, 2012). Sierra Leone’s Flooding and Mudslide Disaster — My Story On Aug. 14, Freetown was struck by a mudslide and flash flooding that cost the lives of nearly 500 people. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), sea levels have been rising about 3 mm per year since 1993 – totaling a 200 mm increase (7.87 inches) in global averaged sea level since 1870. RW COVID-19 page: Find latest updates on global humanitarian responses. The stakes for conflict are high as citizens seek answers to questions of better urban housing facilities and functional land policies. Open job opportunities in the humanitarian field. OCHA coordinates the global emergency response to save lives and protect people in humanitarian crises. Sierra Leoneans will not forget August 14, 2017. According to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center, Sierra Leone experienced a particularly wet rainy season, with the capital city of Freetown, in the Western Area of the country, experiencing 41 inches (104 cm) of rainfall from July 1, 2017, leading up to the mudslides – nearly tripling the area's seasonal average. Sierra Leone – Over 300 Dead After Mudslide and Floods in Freetown 15 August, 2017 A mudslide on the outskirts Freetown, Sierra Leone on 14 August 2017, has left more than 300 people dead. While Sierra Leone endures flooding every year, authorities were unprepared for the scale of this year's deluge. Tzu Chi volunteers in the country collaborate with Catholic NGOs and local authorities to provide relief to the flood survivors, with Tzu Chi Taiwan preparing a shipment of about 90,000 pieces of clothes to be distributed to those staying in shelters. There is nothing new about flooding in Freetown. Flash floods and a mudslide left an estimated 500 people dead. In Sierra Leone, rapid population ... many more have been gravely injured and billions of leones worth of property destroyed in the flooding and landslides that … Flooding and mudslides in Freetown in 2017 killed nearly 500 people, with even more reported missing. Flooding and mudslides in Freetown in 2017 killed nearly 1000 people, with even more reported missing. According to the Xinhua, three of the seven victims died after the fence collapsed, while the remaining were killed by the flood which engulfed their residences. Flooding in Sierra Leone kills 7 By Disaster Report. The main road to the city’s centre was rendered impassable due to the flood waters, heavily constraining vehicles and pedestrians having to find alternative routes. Serious damage was reported in the West African port city of more than 1 million people as homes and vehicles were swamped. Flooding in Kenema, Sierra Leone is exacerbating an already over-burdened health care system. DAKAR, Senegal — Torrents of water rushed through the streets of the Sierra Leone capital of Freetown on Monday, causing mudslides that killed hundreds and trapped hundreds more in … The city saw torrential rain on 02 August, with more expected. The sources at the central mortuary at the city’s main Connaught Hospital spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters. At least five people are reported to have been killed by the floods. The recent floodings and disasters in the western area is the problem caused by all of us. Some areas have been completely over run by water with many property washed away by flood waters. Streets have been inundated and homes damaged or destroyed. List of alerts, ongoing and past disasters covered by ReliefWeb. Abu Bakhar Shaw. Explaining further on the causes of the recent flooding in Freetown, Mr. Bah said deforestation due to housing construction on hill tops, dumping of all sort of wastes into the drainages and reduce of surface flow of the gutters through banks of sand bags, sand and stone mining on the hills and coastal areas as well as removal of mangroves are the major causes of flooding in the city. Curated pages dedicated to humanitarian themes and specific humanitarian crises. Approximately one thousand people lost their lives, and August is just nine days old. List of organizations that are actively providing ReliefWeb with content. The raging floods resulted in substantial destruction of houses, road networks and destroyed the livelihoods of approximately 896 households (5,381 people) according to the results of the rapid needs assessment (RNA) conducted by the Office of National Security (ONS) in collaboration with other humanitarian actors in disaster management. Many residents have reported of being trapped in their cars. Heavy rains cause massive flooding in Sierra Leone capital July 15, 2020 Publisher and Chief Executive Officer KABS KANU ACTION NEWS, COMMENTARY, INSIGHT, Uncategorized 0 Freetown was dangerously flooded again yesterday as heavy torrential rains … By using this website, you agree with our use of cookies to improve its performance and enhance your user experience. These floods occur frequently and lead to … Global Flood Map uses NASA satellite data to show the areas of the world under water and at risk for flooding if ocean levels rise. The floods and landslides were triggered by a heavy and continuous downpour that was experienced on 1st August 2019 from 10:00pm until the next morning on 2nd August 2019. The areas has experienced 3 days of heavy rain, which has… Torrential rains starting from 2 August have led to flooding in Freetown. Find latest updates on global humanitarian responses, Sierra Leone: Floods - Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) DREF n° MDRSL008 Final Report, WHO AFRO Outbreaks and Other Emergencies, Week 5: 27 January - 2 February 2020 Data as reported by: 17:00; 2 February 2020, WHO AFRO Outbreaks and Other Emergencies, Week 4: 20 - 26 January 2020 Data as reported by: 17:00; 26 January 2020, View all Sierra Leone: Floods - Aug 2019 Updates, Flooding – Sierra Leone – Rainfall Accumulation (1 Day) - 06 Aug 2019, View all Sierra Leone: Floods - Aug 2019 Maps and Infographics, Crop Prospects and Food Situation, No. The city continues to experience more rainfall which may cause more flooding and spread to additional communities which would further increase the number of affected people. While the increasing climate change has escalated the problem of flooding in Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone has for a long time grappled with flooding during the months of July through September. In the area you have selected (Sierra Leone) coastal flood hazard is classified as high according to the information that is currently available. And people are still living there. Prior to the outbreak mothers accessing obstetric care was increasing although these rates have decreased after the Ebola Outbreak and the mudslide [14]. August 27, 2019 August 4, 2019: The flooding caused by heavy downpour has claimed lives of at least seven people in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is prone to flooding, but it was not prepared for a disaster of this magnitude, said Daniel Byrne, monitoring and evaluation officer for Oxfam in Sierra Leone. Between six or seven people have died so far, reportedly from the Kroo Hundreds are feared missing and thousands are homeless. 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Open training opportunities in the humanitarian field. The flooding caused widespread displacement and destruction, affecting more than 20,000 people. The 14 August 2017 landslide at Regent is a record on record as the biggest mass burial in the history of Sierra Leone. Freetown, Sierra Leone – Benia Daboh, 31, has been living at a camp with her three children and two nieces since early September. Sierra Leone Flood Map can help to locate places at higher levels to escape from floods or in flood rescue/flood relief operation. At the time, some critics accused the government of not learning from past disasters in a city where many poor areas are near sea level and lack good drainage. The shore next to Mabella is littered with trash, and untreated sewage flows into the ocean, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone has the third highest maternal mortality rate and the tenth highest infant mortality rate in the world and the floods may have worsened these numbers [8]. World. More rain was expected as some residents feared possible mudslides like ones that devastated parts of Freetown two years ago. ReliefWeb Labs projects explore new and emerging opportunities to improve information delivery to humanitarians. Torrential rains in the first and second weeks of September 2015 caused extensive damage in and around Freetown, Sierra Leone, largely due to rivers bursting their banks. Parts of Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown have been damaged by floods caused by heavy rain. Latest humanitarian reports, maps and infographics and full document archive. Despite the normal peak of the rainy season in August, the soil was previously saturated by rains in July. At least five people are dead after flash flooding hit Sierra Leone’s capital on Friday amid torrential rains, mortuary sources said. In 2015, flooding killed 10 people and made thousands homeless. Sierra Leone's meteorological department did not warn residents to leave areas prone to flooding in time; from August 11 to 14, Freetown faced three consecutive days of rain, w… It can also provide floodplain map and floodline map for streams and rivers. This means that potentially-damaging waves are expected to flood the coast at least once in the next 10 years. The death toll from massive flooding in the Sierra Leone capital of Freetown climbed to 312 on August 14, 2017, the local Red Cross told AFP. Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone has been experiencing persistent torrential rains from late May 2019 to August 2019. If you come from Pujehun district you would agree with me. Of the total number of people affected by natural disasters in Sierra Leone in the last 30 years, 90% were affected by flooding (UNDP, 2012). Sierra Leone is hit by devastating floods resulting from continued heavy rains in early August this year. Situated on the south-west coast of West Africa, Sierre Leone may not be the first country that comes to mind when thinking about climate change. 'Hundreds' dead in Sierra Leone flooding and mudslides. So flooding brings not only the immediate risk of death and loss of property but also heightened risk of disease. At the time, some critics accused the government of not learning from past disasters in a city where many poor areas are near sea level and lack good drainage. Daniel Byrne, Oxfam's monitoring and evaluation officer in Sierra Leone, said: "No one was expecting a situation like this. In the last 15 years, Sierra Leone has experienced 5 major floods, including the recent August 2019 floods, with casualties and severe economic damages, affecting over 500,000 people. The highest recorded incident was the August 2nd rainfall causing associated impacts, including flooding in low lying areas as well as new episodes of landslides on low scale in the eastern part of the city. 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