Monrovia – The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) says unless urgent national attention is given to West Point, the enclave is a disaster awaiting the country.
The Risk Assessment Department at the disaster agency said the risks of disaster in West Point are clearly visible and recommended a national decision to safe the estimated 75,000 people living in the township.
A team from the Risk Assessment Department toured West Point last weekend at the commencement of the risk assessment of potential disaster-prone areas of the country.
The team visited the three mayor communities in West Point including Power Plain, Kru Beach and Fanti Town which are the most vulnerable and noticed that the corridor that once connected the three communities has been cutoff due to costal sea erosion.
The Risk Assessment Team also observed that in addition to the threats of natural hazard posed by the sea, the improper disposal of waste and open defecation add to the hazard facing the slum community.
The team saw stockpile of waste and open deposits of defecates which are potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes which could lead to the outbreak of biological hazards including cholera, malaria and diarrhea.
According to the Risk Assessment Team, accessibility is a serious challenge in West Point and there is no nearby fire hydrant to ensure prompt responds to fire outbreak in the highly clustered community.
West Point, the disaster team further mentioned, is also prone to violence owing to the existence multiple ghettos dealing in narcotic drugs in the community.
The Risk Assessment Team recommended the immediate evacuation of some residents, mainly those who are in close proximity to the sea and put an end to sand mining activities in the already hazardous terrain.
The assessment tour also took the team to the SSF Rock Crusher Site situated at Tower Hill on the Monrovia-Robertfield Highway in Margibi County.
At the SSF Rock Crusher Site, the assessment team observed that the main mining pit is less than 100 feet from the paved highway which could threaten future road expansion project and any vehicle runoff the road.
The disaster team noticed there was no caution sign of the presence of a mining pit in such close proximity to the main road and added that the hill is predominately rock layers from bottom with about 7 meters of soil on top the rock layer.
The mining activities have exposed the top soil thus allowing lose soil to slip downward from a height of about 12 meters that could pose serious risk to casual laborers.