Heavy windstorm has reportedly destroyed homes and schools in Zimmi town, Pujehun District in the midnight hours of Thursday 26th January 2023.

One of the local Councilors, Abdul Karim Fofana said that torrential rain accompanied by heavy wind destroyed several buildings including the structure of the only Senior Secondary School in the town, which is also attended by pupils from other towns and villages.

He revealed that every part of the town was affected as roofs on houses were blown away and trees uprooted.

Fofana said that this is the first time they experienced such a level of destruction in their towns. He blamed the cutting down of trees to make way for the electrification of the town as the possible cause of the disaster.

One of the affected people, Foday H. Kanneh, who is also the Chairman Police Partnership Board of Mani River Division said the ferocity of the storm could be compared to a tempest he experienced in England.

He disclosed that three of his houses comprising 25 family members were destroyed.

“It was such that you can’t believe it. If we are to put it on a scale I could say it will run up to 40 to 50 miles per hour. It was too dangerous. At the same time it was raining so much so that you cannot see a person from five yards,” he said.

He said that roofs from houses were flying all over the place, some went over two miles, and it was frightening.

Another affected person, lye Bangura, a petty trader selling cosmetics in Zimmi Town said that her four-bedroom house was unroofed by the storm.

She pleaded for assistance, noting that they’ve been left without shelter and they are suffering greatly.

The Communication Person for National Disaster Management Agency, Mohamed L. Bah said that they are aware of the incident, but they could not give the exact number of affected persons or the scale of destruction at the moment. He noted that they are still gathering information.