By Hassan Bruz
Port Loko, 23rd September 2024 (SLENA)- Severe flooding caused by an unusual combination of high sea tides and relentless rain has left three out of seven sections in the Lokomasama Chiefdom of Port Loko District in the North West region on the brink of extinction.
The disaster has devastated nearly 40 towns and villages, displacing over 2,000 residents, including women and children, from their homes in Konta, Yurika, and Gbainty-Walah sections.
For two consecutive weeks, families have faced unimaginable hardships with no access to food or shelter as floodwaters have destroyed their homes, farmlands, and basic infrastructure.
Many villages remain inaccessible, with roads washed away and critical bridges and culverts destroyed. Flooding water wells worsens the situation—the only source of clean drinking water—and the collapse of toilet structures, heightening fears of imminent outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
Residents like Mohamed Abu Bakarr Kamara, an indigene of Gbaneh Kagblor, one of the worst-affected communities, describe the scene as a nightmare. He recounts how the flooding began on 17th September 2024, following three days of intense rain and high sea tides.
“We had just finished preparing our nursing farms for transplanting when the flood hit. Our lives have been turned upside down,” Kamara lamented, adding that the floods utterly destroyed 17 of the 30 houses in his village.
For many in Lokomasama, farming is their primary livelihood, with residents cultivating their lands three times a year. Their fields lie in ruins, their homes destroyed, and the communities have no food or seed rice for future planting seasons.
Benkeh Kagbulor Village Headman Aruna Sesay and Youth Leader Foday Sesay expressed deep despair.
“Our situation is hopeless,” they explained. “We have nothing left to eat, nowhere safe to sleep, and our seed rice is gone.”
Chief Pa Adikali Sesay, the Lokomasama Chiefdom Speaker, confirmed the scale of the disaster, revealing that more than 40 homes have been wiped out in Yurika, Gbainty, and Konta-Wallah alone.
“People have lost everything,” Chief Sesay said. “We are seeing over 2,000 people displaced and left in a desperate state.”
Hon. Ishmael Sankoh Yillah, a Member of Parliament for Port Loko District and a native of Lokomasama Chiefdom, described the situation as catastrophic.
“Lokomasama is one of the major food-producing chiefdoms in Sierra Leone. This disaster has disrupted our ability to provide food, not just for our people, but for the country as well,” Hon. Yillah explained, adding that the risk of disease outbreaks is now a genuine concern given the lack of clean water and sanitation facilities.
He called on the government, humanitarian organizations, and non-governmental organizations to urgently assist the affected communities.
“We are appealing for help to prevent further suffering,” Hon. Yillah said, noting that school-going children, the elderly, and women are particularly vulnerable.
Despite the devastation, community leaders and key stakeholders work together to provide immediate relief. Representatives of the affected communities have urged residents not to give up hope. “We are actively seeking assistance from the government and humanitarian partners,” Hon. Yillah assured.
As Lokomasama’s residents endure this ordeal, they continue to seek help that could restore their lives, homes, and farmlands.
