Sierra Leone: Floods kill over 300; 600 missing

Al Jazeera
August 16, 2017

Freetown, Aug 16: Sierra Leone entered a week-long mourning period for the victims of flooding that killed more than 300 people, with fears rising for at least 600 missing people.

Three days of torrential rain triggered mudslides on Monday in the Regent area of the Sierra Leonean capital, Freetown, and massive flooding elsewhere in the city, one of the world's wettest urban areas.

The exact death toll was unclear. Rescue workers recovered almost 400 bodies, Reuters reported, citing Freetown's chief coroner. A Red Cross official told the AFP news agency that the death toll was around 300 people on Tuesday evening.

Freetown's drainage system was quickly overwhelmed, leaving stagnant water pooling in some areas while creating dangerous waterways that churned down steep streets.

The United Nations said on Tuesday it was evaluating the humanitarian needs in the West African country of seven million people.

"Contingency plans are being put in place to mitigate any potential outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhea," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

He said the UN country team in Sierra Leone has mobilised and is "supporting national authorities in rescue operations, helping evacuate residents, providing medical assistance to the injured, registering survivors, and providing food rations, water and dignity kits to those affected."

He noted that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) released $150,000 in emergency funds immediately following the flooding.

Radio journalist Gibril Sesay said he lost his entire family. "I am yet to grasp that I survived, and my family is gone," he said through sobs, unable to continue.

Ahmed Sesay, caretaker of a two-story house near the Guma Valley Dam east of the capital, said he was sleeping around 6:00 GMT when he felt a vibration.

"It was like an earthquake. I ran out of my quarters to the gate of the compound," he said. "The ground shook and I had to stay outside the compound until daybreak," Sesay added.

'We have started burying'

Sulaiman Zaino Parker, an official with Freetown's city council, said 150 burials took place on Tuesday evening and that many would be laid to rest in graves alongside victims of the country's last humanitarian disaster, the Ebola crisis, in nearby Waterloo. 

"We have started burying some of the mutilated and decomposed bodies. All the corpses will be given a dignified burial with Muslim and Christian prayers," Parker said.

The graves would be specially marked for future identification, he added.

Earlier in the day President Ernest Bai Koroma issued a desperate appeal for help, saying the damage was "overwhelming us."

"Entire communities have been wiped out," Koroma said, as he fought back tears while touring one of the worst-hit areas of the city. "We need urgent support now."

The government of Sierra Leone, one of the poorest countries in the world, has promised relief to more than 3,000 people left homeless, opening an emergency response centre in Regent and four registration centres.

The Red Cross said it was struggling to excavate families buried deep in the mud that engulfed their homes.

"We are racing against time, more flooding and the risk of disease to help these affected communities survive and cope with their loss," said Abu Bakarr Tarawallie, a Red Cross official.

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News Network
February 6,2020

Beijing, Feb 6: The number of confirmed fatalities from China's coronavirus outbreak rose to at least 560, after authorities in hardest-hit Hubei province reported 70 new deaths on February 6.

In its daily update, the health commission in Hubei also confirmed the number of confirmed infections in the outbreak has reached 28,018 nationwide with 3,694 new cases reported.

The epidemic, which has spiralled into a global health emergency, is believed to have emerged in December from a market that sold wild game in Hubei's capital Wuhan.

Hu Lishan, an official in Wuhan, warned Wednesday that despite building a hospital from scratch and converting public buildings to accommodate thousands of extra patients, there was still a "severe" lack of beds in the region.

There was also a shortage of "equipment and materials," he told reporters, adding that officials were looking to convert other hotels and schools in the city into treatment centres.

Authorities in several other cities in China have placed restrictions on the number of people allowed to leave their homes.

Global concerns have also risen about the virus, with cases confirmed in more than 20 countries.

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News Network
May 15,2020

Washington, May 15: A top US senator has unveiled an 18-point plan, including enhancing military ties with India, to hold the Chinese government accountable for its "lies, deception, and cover-ups" that ultimately led to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The prominent suggestions are moving manufacturing chain from China and deepening military-strategic ties with India, Vietnam and Taiwan.

"The Chinese government maliciously covered up and enabled a global pandemic that has caused misery for so many Americans. This is the same regime that locks up its own citizens in labour camps, steals America's technology and jobs, and threatens the sovereignty of our allies,” said Senator Thom Tillis, presenting his detailed, 18-point plan on Thursday.

"This is a major wake-up call to the United States and the rest of the free world. My plan of action will hold the Chinese government accountable for lying about COVID-19; sanctioning the Chinese government while protecting America's economy, public health, and national security," he said.

The plan seeking to create a Pacific Deterrence Initiative and immediately approve the military's request for USD 20 billion in funding. It also calls for deepening military ties with regional allies and expand equipment sales to India, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Encourage Japan to rebuild its military and offer Japan and South Korea sales of offensive military equipment, it said.

"Move manufacturing back to the US from China and gradually eliminate our supply chain dependency on China. Stop China from stealing our technology and provide incentives to American companies to regain our technological advantage. Strengthen cybersecurity against Chinese hacks and sabotage," the plan stated.

"Prevent American taxpayer money from being used by the Chinese government to pay off their debt. Implement the US ban on (Chinese technology company) Huawei and coordinate with our allies to implement similar bans,” it added.

The plan seeks restitution from the Chinese government and imposition of sanctions for lying about the virus. It further said China should be sanctioned for their atrocious human rights record.

Senator Tillis' plan urges the Trump Administration to formally request the International Olympic Committee to withdraw the 2022 Winter Olympics from Beijing.

"Stop China's propaganda campaign inside the United States. Treat Chinese government-run media outlets as the propaganda proxies that they are," the plan stated.

Urging the government to investigate the Chinese government's cover-up of the spread of COVID-19, the plan also seeks to investigate America's reliance on China's supply chains and threats to public safety and national security.

"Ensure the independence of the WHO through investigations and reform. Expose and counter China's predatory debt-trap diplomacy targeting developing countries. Increase intelligence sharing on potential pandemics and lead the creation of a watchdog organization to monitor foreign governments' handling of deadly viruses," Tillis said in his suggestions.

The coronavirus, which first emerged in China's Wuhan city in December last, has killed over 3,00,000 people with 4.3 million confirmed cases across the world. More than a quarter of all confirmed COVID-19 cases are from the US.

There has been increasing pressure on the President Trump, in the last several weeks, to take action against China as lawmakers and opinion-makers feel that the COVID-19 spread across the world from Wuhan because of Chinese inaction.

Meanwhile, Senator John Barrasso, in a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday, highlighted the need to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) legislation that was put on hold by the coronavirus pandemic.

"The virus could have been contained had it not been for the Chinese Government's unscrupulous cover-up. China knew the risk months before the rest of the world; yet Chinese communist leaders destroyed key evidence, they under-reported the number of coronavirus cases, and they misled the world about its deadly, rapid spread," he said.

Asserting that the virus should have been contained in Wuhan, he said tens and tens of thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of people worldwide have died as a result of China's failure.

Barrasso said the US should encourage its companies to create American and western supply chains. "That way our frontline workers have what they need in the time of crisis," he said.

"Not again, not ever will we be exclusively sourced for critical drugs from China. We should diversify supply and bring home as much of our supply chain as possible," he added.

Congressman Troy Balderson introduced bicameral legislation with Congressman Doug Collins and Senator Lindsey Graham that will hold China accountable for deceptive actions taken by its leaders that led to the spread and subsequent global pandemic.

The COVID-19 Accountability Act authorises president Donald Trump to impose sanctions on China if it fails to cooperate with a full investigation led by the US or its allies into the events that lead to the COVID-19 outbreak.

"The number of Ohioan lives needlessly claimed by this pandemic could have been significantly reduced had China taken appropriate measures to control the virus' spread and disclose its severity," said Balderson.

"The United States can't look the other way when China so recklessly compromised worldwide health and the global economy. China and its Communist Party leadership must be held accountable," he said.

Comments

WHO
 - 
Monday, 18 May 2020

Hahah LOL..

 

go back to past 20 year...from 2000 to 2020..all your sins are boiling now.

 

millions of innocent life has been taking by so called AMERICA in middle east.

 

 

now come to the point

The great GOD Vs USA

GOD: 4 Million+

USA and allied : 0

 

throw your nuke weapon to sea...no use

you cant fight God s tiny microorganisms...humans are just a thing.

 

USA will get 0.5 million death and 10 million infection...20 years of  sin must be given with interest

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News Network
January 3,2020

Washington, Jan 3: US President Donald Trump ordered the killing of Iran Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani, who died in Baghdad "in a decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad," the Pentagon said Thursday.

"General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more," the Department of Defense said.

Following Soleimani's death, Trump tweeted an image of the US flag without any further explanation.

"US' act of international terrorism, assassinating General Soleimani—the most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah,Al Qaeda, is extremely dangerous & foolish escalation. US bears responsibility for all consequences of rogue adventurism." said Iran Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

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