Lunsar, Sierra Leone – Traffic along the busy Lunsar–Makeni highway came to a standstill on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, after a heavy downpour caused several large trees to collapse onto the road, blocking both lanes and leaving hundreds of travelers stranded.
The obstruction affected a wide range of vehicles, including private cars, commercial vans, and trucks. Passengers—many of them women and children—were forced to endure hours of delay in the rain as no vehicles could pass in either direction.
Local residents, with assistance from the Sierra Leone Police, worked swiftly to cut and remove the fallen trees. Their efforts helped clear the road and gradually restore the flow of traffic by late afternoon.
This incident adds to a growing list of similar occurrences along the Lunsar–Makeni highway during the rainy season. In previous years, tree falls in the area have led to serious accidents and, in some cases, fatalities.
Environmental experts are now raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of key roads to climate-related hazards. They are calling on the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) to implement preventive measures, such as trimming dangerous overhanging trees and strengthening roadside safety systems.
“This is not just an inconvenience—it’s a disaster risk,” warned one environmentalist. “Without proactive intervention, we will continue to see accidents and disruptions every rainy season.”
The incident highlights the increasing threat that extreme weather poses to Sierra Leone’s transport infrastructure, prompting renewed calls for climate resilience planning and stronger disaster preparedness.
By Abu Bakarr Kanu
