By: Edmund C. Gbarwee, Nimba D-9 TV Public Health Reporter, nimbad9tv2018@gmail.com, ceo@onenimbahouse.com, +231778070604

Beatuo, Nimba County, Liberia: – The effects of climate change are profoundly impacting the lives and survivability of citizens in Nimba County, Liberia. Logging and farming practices, which involve cutting down trees without replanting, are contributing to severe windstorms that leave many homeless. This deforestation in Nimba County, known for its dense forests, exacerbates the vulnerability of the region to extreme weather events.

Beatuo, a town in Nimba County Electoral District Six of Nimba County, has been particularly hard hit. This year alone, Beatuo has experienced two devastating windstorms. In early 2024, a tragic incident occurred when a heavy rainstorm caused a tree to fall, killing a woman (Comfort Daynukai Dennis) who was returning from her farm to Beatuo. This calamity left many residents homeless and in tears.

A second windstorm struck Beatuo just weeks ago, damaging the roof of the town’s only high school. The destruction has prompted Dahn K. Dennis, a former member of the United Nimba Citizens Council (UNICCO) and a native of Beatuo now residing in the United States, to launch an SOS call through GoFundMe (https://gofund.me/5530e819). Dennis aims to raise funds to repair the school and other damaged homes in the community.

Whether the Disaster Management Team in Liberia, including the Liberia National Red Cross and other non-profit organizations, have responded to the situation in Beatuo, Nimba County remains uncertain. The ongoing challenges highlight the urgent need for sustainable practices and effective disaster management to protect and support vulnerable communities in the face of climate change.