Mudslide morgues full

RESCUE workers have recovered nearly 400 bodies from a mudslide on the outskirts of Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown, the chief coroner says, as rescue operations continue and morgues struggle to find space for all the dead.

President Ernest Bai Koroma (pictured) urged residents of the town of Regent and other flooded areas around Freetown to evacuate immediately so military personnel and other rescue workers could continue to search for survivors who might be buried underneath debris.

Dozens of houses were covered in mud when a mountainside collapsed in Regent on Monday morning, one of the deadliest natural disasters in Africa in recent years.

“As the search continues, we have collected nearly 400 bodies, but we anticipate more than 500,” chief coroner Seneh Dumbuya said.

Bodies continued to arrive at the city’s overwhelmed central morgue yesterday.

Corpses were lying on the floor and on the ground outside for lack of room, a witness said.

The Red Cross said another 600 were missing.

“We are also fearful of outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and typhoid,” a Red Cross spokesman said.