Disasters in Liberia

Liberia's disaster management system is based on the National Disaster Management Agency Act of 2016 and the National Disaster Management Policy of 2012, with official policy adoption recorded in October 2024. The National Disaster Management System brings together government and non-government actors at national, county, district, chiefdom and community levels. The NDMA coordinates preparedness, response and recovery with the National Disaster Management Technical Committee, sector groups and County Disaster Management Committees. On the NDMA's recommendation, the President can declare a State of National Disaster. Flooding is the leading recurring hazard. Fluvial flooding affects areas along major rivers, pluvial flooding follows heavy rain and inadequate urban drainage, and coastal flooding and erosion are concentrated along low-lying coastal areas. Greater Monrovia, including West Point, as well as Buchanan and Harper face coastal and compound flood risks. About 2.2 million people are exposed to flooding, about 320,000 to coastal erosion and about 2.1 million to windstorms. A 2024 local assessment found that extreme wind or storms affected 72.6% of communities reporting a natural event during the previous three years, while flooding or erosion affected 48.3%; in 44.8% of those affected communities, flooding or erosion occurred at least ten times. Landslides are particularly relevant in the northeastern mountains, wildfire in forest areas, and drought and extreme heat across the country. The NDMA uses a National Multi-Hazard Contingency Plan, risk and vulnerability maps, county and district plans, evacuation drills and emergency coordination arrangements. Lead ministries have an annual disaster-risk-reduction budget duty, but implementation remains uneven and strongly dependent on partners and donors. The planned National Disaster Management Fund was not operationalized by 2025, and the NDMA disaster database was still being developed. The National Emergency and Warning Emergency Operations Centre is intended to operate as a 24-hour coordination centre, but forecasting and warning operations were not yet fully operationalized. The Liberia Meteorological Service, working with the Ministry of Transport, issues weather forecasts and alerts through meteoliberia.com, including warnings for heavy rain, flash floods, thunderstorms, squall lines, lightning and heat waves. The warning area is not fully specified for every alert. A 2025 agreement provides for alerts and bulletins to reach Liberia National Red Cross Society chapters, branches and community volunteers. National radio and television, social media and community networks provide additional channels, but electricity, internet access and data gaps limit coverage. People should follow official warnings, leave threatened places when instructed and comply with local directions. NDMA guidance also discourages construction in waterways and disposal of waste in drainage channels. During acute response, the NDMA can activate flood plans, assessment and mapping teams, county and district committees, emergency broadcasts, supply stores, safe spaces and search-and-rescue readiness. The Armed Forces of Liberia, Liberia National Police, Liberia National Fire Service, relevant ministries, the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation, the Liberia National Red Cross Society and United Nations partners may coordinate according to the event. Policy procedures call for an impact update within 24 hours, while Red Cross rapid response teams can generally be mobilized within 48 hours. Use 911 for the Liberia National Police, 114 for the Liberia National Fire Service, and 1959 or 1155 for the Liberia National Red Cross Society. No separate general disaster hotline is established in the available national arrangements. Evacuation and temporary shelter depend on the event and location. Formal plans provide for temporary evacuation, drills, emergency coordination and relief registration, but Liberia has no confirmed nationwide public register of permanent shelters or evacuation sites. During the 2024 floods, about 51,000 people in 10,000 households were affected, with eight temporary shelter sites in Monrovia and nearby areas; some people in Grand Cape Mount and Bong stayed with relatives. Several thousand people were temporarily displaced in Monrovia in July 2026, and safe spaces were identified. The Liberia National Red Cross Society supports shelter, water and sanitation, essential items, first aid, livelihoods, cash assistance and restoring family links through county chapters, branches, community volunteers and community-based action teams. Assistance is not an automatic entitlement: access usually follows local chapters, NDMA or county assessments and available project resources. Priority groups include female-headed households, people with disabilities, older people, pregnant or breastfeeding women and households with children under five. Recovery support varies by project and assessed need. It can include cash, shelter repairs, water and sanitation work, agricultural inputs, livelihood support and training. Recent programmes included 19 hand pumps, two solar water towers, rehabilitation of 36 water facilities in 11 communities, and seeds, tools and training for 200 farmers. The available framework does not establish a nationwide guaranteed government compensation scheme or a standard deadline for assistance. Flooding can damage roads, drainage, water and sanitation systems, electricity, internet connections, housing, schools and health or education facilities. Greater Monrovia has more detailed flood-risk information covering coastal, pluvial, fluvial and compound flooding, with hazard and loss estimates for return periods from one to 50 years; comparable detail is not available nationwide. A complete national building-code and materials-standards system has not been established in the available information, so drainage, land-use planning, coastal and river protection, resilient roads, water systems, power and telecommunications remain central risk-reduction needs.