By Haruna Kuyateh
A severe windstorm has displaced several families and caused extensive damage to houses, community facilities and personal belongings in five communities in the North Bank Region of The Gambia.
The affected communities include Memmeh, Tambana, Dasilameh and Daru Fodayba in Jokadou, as well as Gunjur and Saaba in Lower Badibou.
The storm, which struck during the early hours of Friday, blew off roofs, destroyed household materials, foodstuffs and clothing, and uprooted large baobab and other trees.
At Daru Fodayba, the windstorm damaged a community water tank, while an Arabic school in Gunjur also sustained damage. Several houses were reportedly affected, leaving some families temporarily homeless.
The affected families have appealed to humanitarian organisations, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and philanthropists for urgent assistance to repair damaged houses, restore water facilities and replace essential household items.
Officials from the NDMA office in Kerewan have conducted assessments to determine the extent of the damage and identify the immediate needs of the affected communities.
Regional Disaster Management Coordinator Lamin Saidy confirmed that there were no reported fatalities, although properties were severely damaged. He said NDMA staff and volunteers were engaged in collecting data on the impact of the storm.
Njundu Jawara, Alkalo of Daru Fodayba, said the storm damaged a staff quarter at the local school, affected three compounds and destroyed the community’s borehole water tank.
Another affected resident, Essa Keita, also appealed for assistance, saying the damage had placed additional financial pressure on affected families.
In Gunjur, resident Ebrima Barrow described the destruction as extensive, saying household furniture, beds, foodstuffs and clothing were among the items destroyed.
He said the damage had resulted in significant economic losses for families, making recovery particularly difficult at this time. According to him, property worth more than one million dalasis was destroyed during the storm.
Despite the scale of the destruction, no deaths have been reported. Some affected families are currently being accommodated by neighbours while awaiting humanitarian assistance.
Bakary O. Fofana, Alkalo of Dasilameh in Jokadou and himself an affected resident, said a building currently occupied by families was also damaged by the storm.
The affected families expressed appreciation to residents who have provided temporary shelter, food and other forms of assistance, while calling for additional support to enable them to rebuild their homes and restore damaged facilities.
They also appealed to citizens and organisations in the North Bank Region to assist with the mobilisation of resources and materials to strengthen the regional disaster response and support affected communities.