Heavy storms hit Margibi-School building, homes destroyed

A major storm disaster has forced over 600 students out of school and destroyed scores of properties, leaving several community dwellers homeless along the Bong Mines Road in Margibi County.  The incident, which occurred recently detached the roof of the Sackie Gbonmon Town Public School and vandalized the roofs of over 20 houses beginning from Sackie Gbonmon to Vanyeamah community.

Parents, Teachers and Students Association (PTSA) Chairman Forkpah H. Flomo said the situation has left the school’s authorities with no alternative but to forcefully shutdown the institution. Mr. Flomo narrated that though there was no death report, the force of the storm collected an old lady in Sackie Gbonmon Town and threw her into a kitchen which broke over her, but she survived.

He said the victim was later admitted at a nearby clinic in Kakata where she is currently receiving medication. This has in addition compared victimized community residents to seek refuge at the door steps of their neighbors, Flomo noted.

He lamented that his fear is that the academic year is nearing completion and there is no other place to conduct classes for the pupils, pending renovation of the school building. The PTSA Chairman said the administration of the school convened an urgent meeting a day after the incident and wrote education authorities and the leadership of Margibi County but there has been no response yet.

He said the issue needs quick intervention from government and well-meaning Liberians to have the students returned to school for the completion of the academic calendar, which ends in June.

Meanwhile, the affected community residents are appealing to humanitarian organizations and government for building materials, including zinc, nails, bags of cement and planks, among others to enable them renovate their homes.  It can be recalled that similar natural disaster occurred in Larkayta Township along the Bong Mines Road in Margibi County and left many persons homeless.