In nearby Juba, just 9.2km from central Freetown, over 300 homes were “completely flooded,” the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) said, with two children still reported missing. “The rains caused widespread flash flooding, severe erosion, and slope incidents across several communities in Freetown,” the NDMA said. The agency warned there could be heavy rainfalls between August and September, citing data from the Meteorological Agency. Rapid urbanization, poor drainage systems and indiscriminate waste disposal are said to have increased the city’s vulnerability to disasters during rainfall. For most Freetown residents, the latest incident serves as a painful reminder of the city vulnerability to disasters.