Families of victims await in front of city morgue as bodies being prepared for burial

Record ID: 906942

  • Title: Families of victims await in front of city morgue as bodies being prepared for burial
  • Date: 18th August 2017
  • Summary: WATERLOO, SIERRA LEONE (AUGUST 17, 2017) (REUTERS) CITY VIEW OF FREETOWN PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE MORGUE FAMILY MEMBERS WAITING MAN TALKING SOLDIERS AND HEALTH WORKERS OUTSIDE THE MORGUE FAMILY MEMBERS WAITING VAN TRANSPORTING CASKET WITH CORPSE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FATHER OF VICTIM, AMARA KALLON: (approximate translation) "I came here this morning because yesterday I came to identify the body they told me she needs to be buried. They asked me if I should take on my daughter's burial or not. But I saw her status, as a muslim then decide to let the government take on the burial, I commend the government for the effort they have made. At least they were able to wash her body and prepare her, I will throw line with the government to bury her." VICTIM'S PHOTOS AMBULANCE COMING TO MORGUE BURIAL TEAM AND AMBULANCE IN FRONT OF MORGUE BURIAL TEAM VARIOUS OF FAMILY MEMBERS WAITING BURIAL TEAM MEMBER DISINFECTING AREA
  • Embargoed: 1st September 2017 03:29
  • Keywords: Sierra Leone mudslide victims mass burial grave digging severe weather
  • Location: WATERLOO, SIERRA LEONE
  • City: WATERLOO, SIERRA LEONE
  • Country: Sierra Leone
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Floods
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016UONTC7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hundreds mudslide victims' family members waited in front of the central morgue on Thursday (August 17) as Burials started for 300 people killed in the disaster.
    Families were summoned to the morgue on Wednesday (August 16) to identify relatives, but many were unable to and officials were forced to proceed with the burial because the corpses were decomposing in the heat.
    At least 400 people were killed on Monday (August 14) when a torrent of mud swept away homes on the edge of Freetown. One hundred and fifty have already been buried. In total, approximately 600 people are missing, the Red Cross has said.
    The search for remaining bodies intensified at the mudslide site as aid agencies warned that corpses trapped in the mud are likely to contaminate water sources and cause outbreaks of disease.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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