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Three people, including a five-year-old girl, her mother, and her grandmother, have died after a wall collapsed during heavy rains in Freetown on Monday, while two children remain missing following severe flash flooding across the city, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has confirmed.
The heavy rainfall, which lasted for approximately six to seven hours during the early hours of 3 August 2026, caused widespread flash flooding, severe erosion, and slope collapse incidents across several communities, including low-lying and hillside areas.
In the Portor community at Juba, more than 300 houses were completely flooded, destroying properties and displacing hundreds of residents. Two children are currently reported missing, and search efforts are ongoing. Eight community boreholes, which serve as the primary source of drinking water for residents, have been contaminated by floodwaters and are currently unsafe for human consumption.
At the Metchem community, a compound wall near a building commonly known as the Kailahun Court Barray collapsed, tragically killing a five-year-old girl, her mother, and her grandmother who were living beneath the wall. Their remains have been conveyed to the mortuary.
At 44 Femi Turner Drive, intense erosion caused the collapse of a perimeter wall, resulting in three vehicles being washed away.
The NDMA said it dispatched field officers across the city to conduct search and rescue operations and preliminary assessments in conjunction with its partners. The Agency has activated its Situation Room to monitor and track reported incidents and coordinate immediate emergency response operations.
The public has been advised to stay away from hillsides and steep slopes during heavy rainfall, refrain from dumping refuse into drains and waterways, keep children away from flooded areas, and monitor official weather forecasts and emergency advisories.
The Agency reminded the public that the Seasonal Forecast issued by SLMet projected that July, August, and September would experience periods of intermittent heavy rainfall across the country.
The NDMA expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and all those affected, and called on citizens to remain calm and cooperate with emergency responders. The Agency also extended appreciation to its community volunteers who continue to serve as frontline responders during emergencies.
