By Tejan Macavoray
A severe mudslide struck Dinbiltor Section of Kaya Town in Neni Chiefdom, Koinadugu District, following three consecutive days of heavy rainfall from Thursday, August 28, to Saturday night, August 30, 2025. The disaster affected the western part of the town, over one kilometer from the central area, stretching from local coffee gardens up to Dinbiltor Hill.
Dinbiltor Hill, from which Kaya Town partially derives its name, holds deep historical and cultural significance. According to Sheik Hassan Kellie Koroma, a resident, the hill historically provided shelter and sustenance to children during periods of famine.
Kaya Town was founded by two families—the Koroma and Kalma families—whose legacies remain central to the town’s heritage. The town shares a boundary with Sannoh Chiefdom, and Dinbiltor Hill has long been regarded as a prominent landmark visible from across the community.
During the night of August 30, residents of Kaya Town, home to more than 500 people, were awakened by a loud, alarming sound, sparking widespread panic. By morning, it became evident that the mudslide had engulfed large sections of farmland, including cocoa and coffee gardens—the town’s main sources of income.
According to Councillor Samuel Tamba Koroma of Ward 159, no lives were lost, but extensive damage occurred to gardens, crops, and large farms. He warned that other hills in the town are beginning to show visible cracks, prompting many residents to evacuate temporarily to neighboring communities for safety.
“The only source of income in Kaya Town is farming, and the mudslide has destroyed the majority of our cocoa and coffee gardens,” Councillor Koroma said. “We have sent urgent messages to the government, but we have yet to receive a response. I am traveling to Kabala to meet with authorities to assess the situation and identify solutions.”
The Dinbiltor mudslide underscores the vulnerability of communities in Sierra Leone’s northeastern districts to extreme weather and unstable hillsides. Local authorities and residents are calling for immediate government action to provide relief, assess risks, and implement preventive measures to avert future disasters.
As Kaya Town grapples with the aftermath, urgent efforts are needed to safeguard livelihoods, restore farmland, and protect residents from similar events across Koinadugu District.
