A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson has said that China is ready to provide assistance in dealing with the mudslide catastrophe, reports Xinhua.
Over 300 people have been reported dead in a mudslide and flooding in the West African nation’s capital, Freetown on Monday.
“I counted over 300 bodies and more are coming,” Mohamed Sinneh, a morgue technician at Freetown’s Connaught Hospital, told AFP, having earlier described an “overwhelming number of dead” at the facility leaving no space to lay out every body.
As search operations continue, the number of those dead is expected to increase. Over 2000 people have are homeless due to the natural disaster.
#Breaking: 600 estimated missing in Sierra Leone mudslides, Red Cross says, as death toll certain to rise (Source: AP) pic.twitter.com/QHnYVgUQX9
— CGTN Africa (@cgtnafrica) August 15, 2017
The Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone has launched emergency procedures and is closely monitoring the situation according to the spokesperson.
President Ernest Bai Koroma said in an address to the nation broadcast on television late Monday that an emergency response centre had been established at Regent, the worst-affected area. The President has called on support to help the flood victims.
#BREAKING Sierra Leone needs 'urgent support now' for flood victims: president
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 15, 2017
Oxfam is on the ground in Sierra Leone providing clean water and hygiene kits following a devastating mudslidehttps://t.co/m3YYE9Nfbm
— Oxfam Ireland (@OxfamIreland) August 15, 2017
Rescue workers have recovered 270 bodies from a mudslide in the outskirts of Sierra Leone's capital https://t.co/irepf4ZfMJ pic.twitter.com/D3gU1tIsOk
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 15, 2017
Heartbreaking news from #SierraLeone… Sincere condolences to people of this beautiful country. Our thoughts&prayers w/families of victims.
— Pavlo Klimkin (@PavloKlimkin) August 15, 2017
It may not be trending… but these people matter. Join me and say a prayer for all those lost in #SierraLeone today. Heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/4QR6R4VePT
— justin baldoni (@justinbaldoni) August 14, 2017
