Rain Storm Causes Havoc in Kombo South

As it Renders Hundreds Homeless

A heavy storm accompanied by strong wind on Tuesday night destroyed at least 25 houses rendering hundreds of people homeless, reports from the coastal town of Gunjur and its surroundings reveal.

The rains, which lasted for almost one hour, are also reported to have destroyed an antenna belonging to the nation's cellular and telecommunications companies Gamcel/Gamtel.

According to reports gathered by our reporters in the area, the rains started at a time when most people had gone to the mosque to perform the Nafilah prayer.

The incident, described by many as terrible, is also said to have left many subscribers of Gamcel around the area to have network failure while many are still homeless.

According to one Oumie Jatta, one of the victims, the incident happened at a time when she was at the mosque for prayers only to realise later on that her house was flooded.

"The wind has taken off my roof and I have to spend the night in my neighbour's house till such time when I will be able to repair my roof again. This is really serious. It happens at a time when I and my family were taking dinner," said one Fatou Darboe.

For one Kebba Dibba, a night watchman at the Gamtel/Gamcel post in Gunjur, he was on night duty when the rain started. "I heard a noise on the roof and rushed to see what was going on, only to realise that the antenna had started crashing down," he said.

Victim upon victim who spoke to our reporters appealed to government, philanthropists, NGO's and well-to-do individuals to come to their aid.

Similar incidents occured in other villages of Nema Kunku, Wellingara and Manjai Kunda.