The
rains have continued to intensify, even in the month of September, and the
heavy downpours have continued to take a toll on homes and settlements
vulnerable to windstorms.
The
latest to have suffered some of the recent windstorms are the communities of
Kafuta and Faraba in the Kombo East district of the West Coast Region, leaving
affected residents stranded in those villages.
Areas
like Bakoteh and Ebou Town have also been hit hard in recent days.
Some
weeks ago, it were homes and rice fields in Central River Region especially,
that were 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.
Many
households or families have already been seriously affected as houses,
foodstuffs, seeds, wells, compound fences and other valuable items have been
destroyed by windstorms and in flood waters generated by heavy downpours of
rains.
Farmers
also have been adversely affected by heavy rains, in villages like Pacharr,
Faraba, Fula Bantang, Taifa, Tabanani, and Sare Molo.
This
situation has sparked fear that as the rains intensify 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 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
such as windstorm, as a result of the rainy season weather conditions.
People
should also be advised to avoid making settlements on waterways. Proper gutters
or waterways should be developed by the communities to minimize damage on
houses and settlements by the rains and harsh rainy season weather like
windstorm.
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, and 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
