-Compels residents to abandon their homes
BY: Shallon S. Gonlor
GANTA, NIMBA CO. — A severe flood has imposed chaos in parts of Ganta City and other areas in Nimba County, displacing hundreds of people and causing widespread damage to properties.
The massive flooding has also caused crocodiles, snakes, and some bad animals to enter homes and other areas. Ganta City, the commercial hub of Nimba County is among other areas in the county facing a serious flooding crisis. The rising waters have entered large parts of Ganta including the Liberian-Guinean border, causing widespread destruction and disruption in busy economic and social activities.
Streets, homes, and businesses have been drowned and stalled for days now, leaving residents stranded, rising hunger, and struggling to cope with the devastation. The flooding began gradually a few days ago, escalating dramatically on Monday and the entire day of Tuesday, leaving communities submerged and forcing residents to flee their homes.
Among the worst affected are the Glenyiluu Community, leaving hundreds of houses affected and many displaced.
The floodwaters also severely impacted the Liberia-Guinea border area in Ganta City, Nimba County where rising water levels overwhelmed the infrastructure of the St. John River iron bridge, travelers and residents alike.
One of the critical points of destruction was the temporary suspension of government revenue collection from business people, stalling vehicles to travel safely at the border where waters overflow the St. John River bridge, which serves as the borderline between Liberia and Guinea.
The St. John River bridge is a major link between the two African Countries for cross-border trade and social cohesion. Many travelers and business people at the crossing point were shocked to see the St. John River overflowing its bank, making it impossible for vehicles to travel safely.
According to a local source, the floodwaters breached the bridge, unleashing a torrent of water that surged through homes with alarming speed and force. However, the devastating flood victims described the terrifying experience.
“We were unaware to start packing our belongings. Before we could gather essentials like clothes and important documents, the water had already risen to waist level inside our house. Most of our essentials like clothes and documents including other properties are damaged”.
The flood victims and many others, mostly women and children are struggling to seek refuge in some unconducive environments and mix shift structures for temporary shelter. The flood’s destructive impact was widespread, claiming houses, shops, and other properties, leaving many residents with nothing but clothes on them.
Businesses have been ruined, and entire neighborhoods devastated as floodwaters continue to rise. Thousands of families have been forced to evacuate their homes as rising waters swept through streets, damaging properties, businesses, and farmland.
Devastating floodwaters had over the years killed hundreds of people due to drowning at homes and major highways in Nimba County including parts of Liberia. With hundreds of deaths reported yearly due overflow of rivers, Gbedin Town in Nimba County District #2, a corridor of road between Sanniquellie-Ganta is a testament to the result of drowning.
Heavy flooding after rain downpours overwhelmed drainage systems and caused waters to overflow, turning the road corridor from Sanniquellie-Ganta in Gbedin Town into flooded zone, taking away the lives of citizens.
However, the heavy flooding highlights the urgent need for better flood management systems to prevent such widespread damage in the future. The floods also serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved drainage to protect vulnerable communities from recurring natural disasters.
