Monrovia – An early Tuesday, July 17, morning downpour of rain turned parts of Monrovia into rivers. The rising waters flooded communities, homes and families throughout the capital, causing citywide traffic, chaos and infrastructure damage.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo, [email protected]
The deluge made some roads, including the Tubman Boulevard, avenues and highways to shut down for hours; electricity supply was also cut off to some communities.
The rain also had an impact upon Monrovia’s business centers. It turned several streets into rivers forcing some motorists to abandon their cars, some of which had gotten stuck.
On the Tubman Boulevard, several vehicle owners had to park their cars for hours waiting for the water to recede before venturing back on the road.
Women and children were seen being carried on the backs of young men and women, who found the flood as an opportunity to make some quick money for the day.
Philip Crawford, one of the young men involved in ferrying pedestrians said it was an opportunity to provide food for him and his family.
“I have no problem; through this flood, I am going to provide food for my family, because I carry at least six or seven persons in an hour.”
He wished for the rain not to cease. “I want the rain to fall more just the same way the funeral home owners can be wishing for dead bodies.”
Timothy Kollie, another of the man, who had been taking people across on his back, while stating that the water was embarrassing the free flow of movement, said it was an opportunity to earn money for the day.
Kollie, “We have to do this to survive; I don’t have work and now I take this as a permanent job until the rain can stop or the drainage can be properly opened. We will continue to do this until the government can turn to us.”
He made over US$10 (L$1500) totting people across the heavy flood that was at the Old road intersection in Congo Town.
He was charging between L$50 to L$100 depending on whom he’s had on his back.
At this intersection, which is just a stone’s throw from former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s residence, vehicles were seen in cues for hours.
Weade Brown, a passenger stuck in the traffic for hours, said she had a job interview to sit but missed it due to the traffic caused by the flood.
“Because I was getting late, I started to walk from Winners Chapel now I am here and I have to pay someone to tote me across. I am even hoping that my interviewer will accept me wet like this.”
The flood brought many heads of ministries and agencies as they strategized to allow the free flow of traffic and open the drainages for the passage of water.
Winifred Dahn, an on-looker urged the government to do more.
“Let this clogged drainage be free; there’s a building in the path so why can’t they clean in it? There is debris in the waterways. The community, too, must take initiatives and stop throwing their garbage into the drainage,” Dahn stated.
Standing in the middle of the road directing the traffic in spite of the heavy rain was the nation’s police chief — Inspector General Patrick Sudue. According to him, it was aimed at motivating his junior officers to serve their country.
“We had an overflow traffic because of the road; I felt that sitting in the office and giving instructions won’t help so I decided to come. I have been here since 7 am, now the traffic is decongesting.”
Deputy Minister for Technical Services at the Ministry of Public Works, Mr. Claude Langley, said the flood is not strange as it happens every year.
Mr. Langley stated that while other communities, including Clara Town, and Logan Town were flooded, too, they were working around the clock to decongest and allow the free passage pf water.
He specifically said the Old Road junction flooding was more difficult as lots of debris were in the channel.
He also stated that the Ministry was short of needed earth moving equipment for such works.
“We should be doing this before the Rainy Season. Few years ago, I told them that we had to clean this place, but now this is just what I predicted.
“This part of the drainage work is that all these documents are there but what we need is equipment to get the job done, we must mobilize to make them work, the local people must take on the initiative to clean their communities. Lack of equipment is crippling the work of the Ministry.”
Complaining further, he also blamed citizens for building in waterways.
“These structures weren’t permitted and the issue is because you don’t have the inspectorate to mobilize to come up, you don’t have vehicles, the zoning office has one vehicle and the inspectorate has no vehicle.”
The pressure of the water dropped quickly when a caterpillar began removing debris from the drainage. The debris removed from the drainage contained pile of coconut husks, plastics, broken chair and others.
The Acting Executive Director at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Randall Dobayou, disclosed that all the structures at the main Old Road junction didn’t get an environmental permit before construction.
“These structures are stopping the smooth flow of the water. It is an issue of concern.
“It is about time that we take charge of our environment; building in the waterway is so bad, they must sustain the environment. Structures here have been marked but these homeowners still continue the construction.”