Several Made Homeless in Kokoyah

There are growing humanitarian concerns among victims of a recent storm disaster in Kokoyah Statutory District in Bong County following a violent storm that swept across two major towns in the region  leaving several persons homeless.

According to our correspondent in Bong County, the storm destroyed thirty-four houses in the towns of Boepai and Manakpolor, constraining victims of  the disaster to sleep in the open air for days, while others continue to use their  kitchens as dwelling places as they await humanitarian interventions from the Government of Liberia  and NGO humanitarian community.

A citizen of Manakkpolor informed this paper that since the incident in the two towns, there’s been no sign of any humanitarian assistance, noting that their situation was going from bad to worst; especially for  the children who are sleeping in opening places and exposed to diseases.

Mr. Larry Flomo said personnel from the Liberia National Red Cross Society Bong County Chapter disaster management unit visited the two towns following the destruction to assess the conditions of  victims, but nothing has been done in the direction of addressing their plight.

He said a team from the Superintendent office as well as UNMIL also visited the region to obtain first-hand information on the extent of the damage incurred by the citizens, but are yet to tangibly respond. Mr. Flomo averred that people were also compared to congest in family homes because they had nowhere else to sleep- a situation he described as very in embarrassing.

A personnel of   the Red Cross office in Gbarnga informed this paper that preparations were being finalized to move into the towns with some relief items, but the major challenge was the absence of vehicles to transport the supplies to the storm victims.

He indicated that their vehicles were presently concentrating on Nimba County to enhance the humanitarian operations for Ivorian refugees. Mr. Richard Togbah also disclosed that they were working out modalities with the county leadership to mobilize logistics for the supply of the relief items to the storm victims who are desperately in need of assistance.