GANTA – Ganta awoke to two tragic events on September 27—a fire and severe flooding.
A fire broke out in the LPMC Community Market after a gasoline warehouse caught fire, completely destroying the building along with several nearby business centers.
Authorities have not yet released the cause of the fire, and the Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS) has made no statement at the time of this publication.
The fire destroyed goods and valuables worth thousands of U.S. dollars, though a few brave citizens managed to save hundreds of shops and stores nearby.
Several citizens tried manually to extinguish the fire and prevent further destruction, while many others stood by, terrified and saddened, waiting for firefighters to arrive.
Despite hours of effort, the fire gutted more than six shops and stores.
Fire incidents have become common in Ganta, and the absence of firefighting equipment continues to worsen these tragedies. In 2023 alone, Ganta experienced over five fire incidents, with one of the worst burning down a mini-complex on Ganta Broad Street. A fire in 2017 killed a young Indian dentist, Dr. Shane Sam Matthew.
Dr. Matthew, a volunteer dentist at the Ganta United Methodist Hospital, died when fire engulfed his apartment on the hospital compound at night.
Residents have repeatedly called for a fully equipped fire station in Nimba County to respond swiftly to such incidents, but their calls remain unanswered.
Meanwhile, flooding in the Gleen-luu community has displaced several residents.
Gleen-luu, the largest community in Ganta, sits near the St. John River, which forms the boundary between Liberia and Guinea.
The community often experiences flooding during the rainy season, but this year’s flood has been more severe. More than fifty homes are currently surrounded by water, and some have been nearly submerged. The flooding has forced over a hundred people to seek shelter with friends and relatives in nearby communities. While some lost all their belongings, others managed to move their possessions to temporary shelters.
Abraham P. Carson, one of the victims, told The Liberian Investigator that almost all of his belongings were destroyed, and his home remains surrounded by water, forcing him and his family to seek refuge with relatives.
He criticized the government for failing to assist, saying, “When politicians want power, they call on us [citizens] to vote them in, but when we face crises like this, they don’t answer our calls.”
Another victim, Madam Naomi K. Gonkar, said she now shares her room with her children and mother because the house she built for them was heavily affected by the flood.
“I built two houses. My mother and children stayed in one, but now we all sleep in my room until the water dries,” she explained to TLI.
She urged the government to consider relocating residents from flood-prone areas, as she believes the situation will only worsen.
Madam Gonkar, who has lived in Gleen-luu for over twenty years, said the community has always flooded during the rainy season, but this year’s situation is far worse. She predicts the flooding will intensify in the coming years.
Efforts to reach Ganta City Mayor Samuel Saye Hardt for comment proved unsuccessful at the time of this publication.
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