Par Amadou Thiam
Bélli Diallo, October 17 (APS) – The inhabitants of the village of Bélli Diallo, in the commune of Ogo (Matam), are forced to take refuge under trees, while waiting for the installation of makeshift tents, after the waters of the Senegal River chased them from their homes.
The village of Bélli Diallo is located three kilometers from the commune of Matam, on the track leading to Dandé Mayo.
For several days, the houses, literally invaded by floodwaters, have been completely emptied of their occupants. Having become homeless in the space of a few hours, residents had no choice but to take refuge under trees, at the mercy of the rain and wind.
At the end of the afternoon, almost all the inhabitants of the village are outside. On both sides of the track, each family sets about setting up a makeshift tent for shelter.
Everywhere suitcases, mattresses, kitchen utensils and other luggage are placed on the ground.
From a distance, we can see families carrying luggage on their heads, walking one after the other. They seek to find refuge in an area located several meters from the rallying point of most of the inhabitants of Bélli Diallo.
“We left our houses in the middle of the night. Water invaded our homes from all sides. In total, nearly twenty families live in this village,” explains Ismaïla Sy, a resident of Bélli Diallo.
Like many other families, Ismaïla and her family spent the night under the stars. Sitting under a tree, next to their belongings, they are getting ready to have breakfast outdoors.
Inside the village, young people try to shelter the rest of the luggage under a building surrounded by water. In their maneuvers, they witness the collapse of a mud building.
Not far from there, a lady remaining in her home is chatting with another resident of the village. Snippets of their conversation can be heard several meters away. An old man comes out of the water with wood and walks towards the track to join his family. As soon as he arrives, he sets about setting up a tent.
“We are organizing ourselves to set up tents while waiting for the authorities to come to our aid. When the situation started to get complicated, young people from Nawel [une localité voisine] came to help us,” says Abou Diack.
He explains that the waters carried away the earth bags installed on the edge of the village to serve as a protective dike.
On the road, passengers in cars going to Matam and Ourossogui stop to inquire about the situation of the victims. Some of them perch on the roofs of vehicles to film the scenery.
On the other side of the track, the scenery is identical. The children move the light luggage, while the women bustle around breakfast. Livestock rescued from the waters are gathered away from residents.
According to the director of the village elementary school, Seydou Sow, this situation will disrupt classes in Bélli Diallo.
”We will not be able to teach in this situation. Luggage is kept in the classrooms. In addition to that, the roof of one of the rooms came off with yesterday’s rain,” explains the teacher.
But the threat is getting closer and closer to the school establishment. The floodwaters are only a few meters from the site which is on the other side of the track and which was previously spared.
AT/ADL/SKS/ASB/OID/ASG
