Chairman of the Western Area Rural District Council, Chairman Kasho Cole has intimated the Guardian Sierra Leone that, his Council together with other government departments, has evacuated and will be providing logistical support to residents affected by cracks at Motormeh Village in the Western Area Rural District.
The cracks had resulted from three days torrential rainfall in the Western Area recently.
Motormeh, a village which was brought to the notice of the world for accommodating the devastating August 14 Mudslide in Sierra Leone in 2017, is recently seen birthing cracks signifying imminent mudslide.
The August 14 Mudslide itself had recorded an unprecedented disaster in the annals of Sierra Leone leaving over a thousand dead and more than two thousands homeless in despicable situation. The mud and debris had destroyed hundreds of buildings and properties running in millions of leones.
Chairman Kasho told Guardian Sierra Leone that, upon receiving a distress call from the Councillor of Ward 396 – the ward that boxes the Motormeh Community about the cracks few days ago, he, the Minister of Environment and the Director of the National Disaster Management Authority paid a visit to the site to assess the situation. He said they discovered the cracks and they expand by the day. Chairman Cole disclosed they also uncovered people had built houses even in area designated as “danger zone” by the government.
He however noted that one of the recommendations they resolved at was to evacuate the people and demolish all the houses that were roped in the circumstance.
“We will be going there to identify and mark the houses tomorrow. We have already asked them to leave.”
Kasho Cole pointed out that his Council will be providing relief items like rice, onions etc. with the victims for the time being.
“On Monday we will have an emergency meeting to make the final decision.”