Let’s put proper mechanisms in place as the rains intensify

The rains have intensified, and we have started hearing news of heavy downpours destroying homes in areas like Bakoteh and Ebou Town, with the latest happening yesterday.

A few weeks ago, homes and rice fields in Central River Region especially, were also seriously affected by heavy downpours and floods in and around farms and settlements in that part of the country.

Put together, the impacts of heavy downpours could be disastrous, if proper mechanisms are not put in place to avert such preventable mishaps.

According to reports, many households or families have already been seriously affected as houses, foodstuffs, seeds, wells, compound fences and other valuable items have been destroyed in flood waters generated by heavy downpours of rains intermittently, over the last four weeks or so.

Farmers also were recently adversely affected by heavy downpour of rains, especially in villages like Pacharr, Faraba, Fula Bantang, Taifa, Tabanani, and Sare Molo.

This situation has sparked fear that as the rains intensify in the coming months more unwanted realities might occur.

It is, therefore, advisable that proper mechanisms are put in place to mitigate and prevent damages taking place in the upcoming weeks and months of intensive rains.

In the first place, communities should be adequately sensitised on precautionary measures to avoid being hit by rain water floods and other climatic attacks, as a result of the rainy season weather conditions.

People should also be advised to avoid making settlements on waterways, and proper gutters or waterways should be developed by the communities to minimize ineluctable damages on houses and settlements by the rains and harsh rainy season weather.

Our farmers should also protect their farms and guard against farms and residences being flooded by heavy downpour of rains.

Otherwise, communities could face dire situations and predicaments that could be seriously dreadful.

Even though some relief may come from certain quarters such as government through the National Disaster Management Agency, and some other private entities and individuals, to alleviate the plight of victims of rain floods and storms, it is always advisable to prevent rather than to cure.

Our roads are also not helping matters, as a lot of them are in bad shape, with gutters blocked and preventing smooth flow of water. Something also must be done about this. The Chinese are good in fighting such challenges; they are now our friends.

“Some accidents there are in life that a little folly is necessary to help us out of. ”

Francois de La Rochefoucauld