BY: Shallon S.Gonlor
NIMBA COUNTY — Residents of Mao Town, Yarpea Mah Administrative District escaped mass deaths toll Tuesday night, after an overnight storm violently roofs off houses and destroyed walls.
No deaths or injuries reported, but victims are calling for rescue to recondition their damaged houses.
A Storm which many described as severe on Tuesday night destroyed several homes in Mao Town, Nimba County leaving scores of residents homeless and unspecified amount of property damaged.
The powerful storm accompanied by heavy rain lashed several parts of Mao Town as victims sought refuge in nearby structures.
Mao Town located in Nimba County District #2 storm disaster is the hardest hit in the area as over 30 dwelling houses completely damaged; few partially destroyed as many as hundred people including single women and children are displayed without hope of owning a home again.
The violent storm that blew through the town overnight on Tuesday at 2:00am trapped residents in their homes and damaged buildings significantly.
Footage from the area showed the storm leveled of devastation, leaving several babies’mother, vulnerable women and children homeless. The storm brough an extensive rainfall to houses affected by heavy rains.
Yei Zonie, 43, a single mother of 6 children, and 2 grandchildren is among victims affected by the overnight storm.
Yei is also a farmer who struggled to feed and educate her children and grandchildren in the Mao Town.
She is meanwhile calling on government through its disaster management team to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to her and other families affected by the violent storm .
The single mother said that the destruction from the storm will cause them much expenses and it’s difficult to for her to rebuild as a result of limited income as a single mother.
According to her,, the situation on the ground is catastrophic, where she lost everything in the house including her solar panel that coast over hundreds of USD.
“Many had already been displaced, and I need all the support I can get to overcome this tragedy for the betterment of my children.” she said.
Children and their families who survived the hurricane have lost their homes, their livelihoods, their relatives, and have been left with little water and food.
Younh Glee, aged 62 is a father of 3 children and his beloved wife.
Glee who spoke to our correspondent in Nimba County said the storm which initially destroyed the trees surrounding the town left over 30 houses destroyed while a little below 400 persons including children displaced.
However, victims of the storm, most of whom are in desperate need of assistance revealed that the storm lasted for an hour leaving several residents with the option of seeking shelter in the nearby farm kitchen.
Another victim, Lehyea Delee, a widow in her early 40s with 4 children further appealed to the National Government including humanitarian groups to speedily assist them with needed items such as zinc and cash to reconstruct their damaged homes.
Also commenting on the disaster of the heavy storm, victim Serina Yanay, 40, with living 4 children; and 6 grandchildren appealed to donors operating within the country to urgently come to their need in providing them with available building materials to rebuild their damaged structures.
It can be recalled that during late Tuesday, April, 2, 2024 night at about 2:00am a violent storm destroyed several houses and other valuables leaving over 400 hundred people homeless as well as over 30 houses completely destroyed and some partially damaged in Mao Town, Nimba County District#2.
Up to present, there has been no expert report on what precipitated the outflow of the heavy storm in the area, but opinions have it that it’s as a result of deforestation.
Deforestation — is the intentional clearing or cutting down of forested protected trees. The permanent removal of standing forests occurred for a variety of reasons and has many devastating consequences.
