Bong County: Wind Storm Ruins Several Buildings In Gbarnga
By Sylvester W. Korwor, LINA Bong County Correspondent
GBARNGA April 13 (LINA) – Violent windstorm in Gbarnga and parts adjacent Wednesday evening April 8, 2026 left several structures including public and private buildings severely damaged as victims launched an SOS call for humanitarian aid.
Some of the structures affected include government-owned Gboveh Multilateral High School in Gbarnga, the Gbarnga Administrative Building, two privately-owned community radio stations Premium FM 98.1 and Voice of Bong 103.5 and several private homes respectively.
In an effort to engage some Administrators of Gboveh Multilateral High School, the staff declined to speak on the situation, but said the County Education Officer Mr. David V. Boakai and other education stakeholders had visited the scene to gather firsthand information to ensure timely intervention.
The damage severely affected the school’s auditorium and classes in the senior high division of the school which was renovated two years ago by the school’s administration with support from government and partners.
Also, the Gbarnga Administrative Building that hosts the County’s Administrative Officer and local offices of various line ministries and agencies was hit by the storm affecting the County Development Officer’s office where several documents were damaged.
The storm further affected Premium FM, a community radio station located on the Lofa Road in Brooklyn Community bringing the tower down, but no casualty was reported.
The storm also led to the collapse of the tower of a privately owned community radio – Voice of Bong, leaving a neighboring home partly damaged. “
Other structures that were damaged include dwelling homes and market structures along the Lofa Road as well as houses in towns and villages in rural parts of the county.
Meanwhile, the Program Director of Voice of Bong Radio Emmanuel Mafelah disclosed that in less than three years, violent storms have broken their station tower twice, adding that US$15k was spent to build the latest one.
Mafelah, on behalf of the management, has launched an SOS call to community members and other humanitarian organizations for their timely support, adding that community radio stations play a vital role in rural development processes but unfortunately they are no longer getting commercials to sustain their operations.
It is believed that climate change and deforestation in rural Liberia are major contributing factors to storm disasters currently experienced across the country.
Though some institutions like the Forestry Development Authority and community based organizations are making significant efforts to create massive awareness on the effects of climate change, the issue of deforestation still remains a challenge in the country.
Many inhabitants are recommending that to curb the challenge of deforestation in the country, people who are involved with charcoal production as the only means of livelihood should be empowered by giving them alternative means of survival.