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An entire family has tragically lost their lives after a fence collapsed on their shack during a heavy downpour late Friday night in Gbendembu, Goderich, located in Sierra Leone’s Western Rural District.
According to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the incident occurred around 11:45 p.m. on Friday, amid intense rainfall.
“The collapse tragically claimed the lives of an entire household,” the NDMA confirmed in a statement.
The victims have been identified as 45-year-old Salia Sawaneh, his wife Fatmata, 30, and their one-year-old daughter. Their remains were retrieved by police and local authorities on Sunday morning.
Two other individuals, identified as Haja and Maseray, survived the incident and are currently receiving treatment at the Emergency Hospital in Goderich.
The NDMA said it has launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse, with its technical team currently collecting data from the scene.
This devastating incident comes during Sierra Leone’s peak rainy season, which typically spans from May to October, with July and August recording the heaviest rainfall. The season is often marked by flooding, landslides, and structural collapses, particularly in vulnerable communities built on hilly or poorly drained terrains.
Authorities continue to urge residents to remain vigilant, especially in high-risk zones, as the country grapples with the increasingly severe impacts of the rainy season.
