By Mamadou Dem and Muhammed Sailu Bah
A heavy down pour last Friday affected the movements and operations of
many residents, pedestrians, vehicles as well as vendors in many parts
of the Kanifing Municipality.
The rain, which started around 16.20 pm and lasted for almost 45
minutes, left the streets and low lying compounds flooded with water
and thus rendering all movements by people and vehicles to a halt.
Both private and commercial vehicles and their passengers were left
stuck on the road because it was very dangerous to drive as the
streets were inundated with water. A few commercial vehicles could
not move as the rain water has entered and put off their engines.
Some people, including hawkers, were also sheltering for cover under
buildings for fear of plunging into open gutters and get themselves
hurt. Although, many other pedestrians braved it out to surge through
the flooded water to their homes, despite the dangers of plunging into
unseen holes or gutters.
Unfortunately, a fire tender vehicle of the Gambia Fire and Rescue
Service, which was trying to head towards Tabokoto apparently to a
fire emergency, also got caught up in the traffic congestion as many
vehicles could not move. However, at another point, an ambulance
managed to struggle its way out of the congested traffic.
According to a woman trekking on foot, she could not find any traffic
to take her to her destination and as a result she has to walk. She,
however, blamed the flooded streets to the poor drainage system.]]>
