Tombong or anyone out there in Gambia,

Can you please update us on this tragedy . I heard that at least 63
fishermen's bodies have been recovered from the Kombo area. and over 900
houses have been destroyed in many parts of the country from ABC Africa
news just a few minuites ago.
We have not heard from the Embassy yet on how serious this problem is.
Here is an earlier BBC report FYI

World: Africa

             Storms batter West Africa

             A US weather service satellite image of clouds over West
Africa

             By Africa reporter Caroline Hawley

             Gambia has appealed for international aid to help
             thousands of people made homeless by flash floods
             caused by unusually heavy rain.


                           Over the past week, at least 40
                           Gambian fishermen are reported to
                           have died when their boats capsized
                           in the storms.

                           Dozens of people are also reported
             dead or missing in neighboring countries.

             Gambian Vice President Isatou Saidy said Gambia
             urgently needed food, medicines, clothing and blankets,
             after 2,000 houses were destroyed.

             Many people are now camped out in public buildings.

             The storms that have battered Gambia have hit a huge
             swathe of West Africa from the Atlantic Coast to the very
             edge of the Sahara desert - more used to the threat of
             encroaching sands than excess water.

             Residents of Timbuktu in the middle of Mali are quoted
             as saying it was the heaviest rain in living memory.

             Elsewhere in Mali, people, cattle and possessions have
             been washed away.

             One village is reported to have been left with almost no
             houses still standing.

             Flash floods have also struck neighboring Niger.

             The government says 2,000 people there are now
             homeless.

             In Senegal, the bodies of 16 fishermen were recovered
             earlier this week, after Tropical Storm Cindy hit a fleet
of
             canoes off the southern coast.

             French aircraft have been helping the Senegalese navy in
             a big search and rescue operation, but at least 70
             people are still missing.

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