The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), with support from GOAL Sierra Leone, has commenced the rollout its flood mitigation interventions across four high-risk communities in Freetown. This intervention is part of NDMA’s 2025 Flood Mitigation Strategy for the Western Area, aimed at reducing the impacts of flooding during the ongoing rainy season.

The targeted communities include Crab Town in Aberdeen, Samba Gutter at Pademba Road, Melon Street in Wellington, and Tombo Park in Waterloo. These areas were selected due to their high vulnerability to flooding, attributed to clogged drainages, weak waste management systems, and unplanned construction.

The first phase of implementation began on June 24, 2025, in Crab Town, Aberdeen. The NDMA team engaged the community in public sensitization and physical clearing of major drains and waterways within the area.

The flood mitigation efforts will continue in the remaining three communities over the coming weeks to address specific local risks. The strategy involves the inclusion of community leaders, local volunteers, the Freetown City Council (FCC), and NDMA’s partners.

While speaking at Crab Town, NDMA’s Western Region Coordinator, Gerald King, noted the importance of early action and community engagement. He said that flooding in Freetown remains a significant threat to lives, livelihoods, and property, and described the intervention as a timely and strategic step toward building community resilience.

Also in attendance was GOAL Sierra Leone Programme Manager, Asmah Jalloh, who reaffirmed her organization’s support for disaster risk reduction. “Supporting NDMA’s flood mitigation strategy is part of GOAL SL’s commitment to empower communities to become resilient and respond to risks.” She stated.

GOAL SL also supported NDMA’s Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Directorate to conduct a community vulnerability assessment focused on drainage patterns and waste management practices. Volunteers were trained on a data collection tool and began the assessment on June 24, 2025. The exercise, which concluded today, covered all four targeted communities mentioned above. The findings will guide future policy decisions and interventions.

“The data collected will enhance our ability to analyze specific community vulnerabilities and inform evidence-based planning for future interventions,” said Abu Bakarr Bangura, NDMA’s Director of Research, Monitoring, & Evaluation.

Credit – Directorate of Communications, NDMA.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 30th June, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)