TheCable

More than 300 people were killed when a mudslide struck the outskirts of Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown on Monday, sweeping away homes.

The Red Cross said at least 205 bodies had been taken to the central morgue in Freetown. Police and military personnel were at the scene in the mountain town of Regent searching for people trapped in the debris.

The death toll is expected to rise as more bodies are recovered, Red Cross spokesman Abu Bakarr Tarawallie said.

Earlier, Vice-President Victor Foh said 200 people may have likely been killed.

“It is likely that hundreds are lying dead underneath the rubble,” Foh told Reuters at the scene of the mudslide in the mountain town of Regent.

He added that a number of illegal buildings had been erected in the area.

“The disaster is so serious that I myself feel broken,” he added.

“We’re trying to cordon (off) the area (and) evacuate the people.”

The mudslide happened in the early morning in the mountain town of Regent, where dozens of houses were submerged after a night of heavy rain.

A major rescue operation is now underway although emergency workers are struggling to reach the worst-affected areas.

Mudslides and floods are fairly common during the rainy season in West Africa. Deforestation and poor town planning put residents at risk.