Residents of Freetown, Sierra Leone, experienced an intense heatwave in early 2024, with temperatures reaching between 30C and 40C, exacerbated by humidity making it feel even hotter. The city has faced a rapid increase in population over the years, leading to overcrowding and limited space for recreational activities.
Many residents resorted to sleeping on their verandas as their homes became too hot, even for those with fans or air conditioning. Freetown’s expansion has resulted in substantial deforestation, contributing to rising temperatures across the city. More than a third of the population live in informal settlements, lacking essential services like water and electricity.
Eugenia Kargbo, Freetown’s chief heat officer, has been implementing initiatives to help residents cope with extreme heat, including planting trees and installing heat-reflective roofing sheets made from recycled plastics. Initial results show a significant reduction in house temperatures by as much as 6C in homes where the sheets have been installed.
Residents like Mohamed Koroma, who lives in Kroo Bay, have expressed relief from the cooling effects of the new roofing sheets. However, more support is needed to expand these initiatives to cover more residents in informal settlements. City officials continue to research and test different techniques to improve cooling and address the impacts of the climate crisis on vulnerable communities in Freetown.
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