Mass burials are continuing for the hundreds of victims of deadly mudslides in Sierra Leone's capital as the threat of more rain loomed, hurting recovery efforts.
Queen Elizabeth expressed her sadness over the disaster that has killed more than 300 people. Some 600 are thought to remain missing as anguished family members and rescue workers continue to dig through tons of mud and debris, at times with their bare hands.
The monarch, in a message to President Ernest Bai Koroma, said she and Prince Philip were "deeply saddened." The UN reported that a mass burial has been held for 150 bodies.
The mudslides and flooding struck early on Monday following torrential rains, with many victims trapped in their homes in impoverished, low-lying areas of Freetown and surrounding settlements.
A third of the dead were children. Thousands of people have lost their homes.
At the city's overwhelmed Connaught Hospital morgue, many bodies have been too mangled and decomposed to be identified. Koroma's office has said all unidentified corpses will be given a "dignified burial" in the coming days.
With rain forecast for at least the coming week, the threat of further mudslides around Freetown remained. Many poor areas are near sea level and have poor drainage systems, which makes flooding worse during the rainy season.
Freetown also is plagued by unregulated construction of large residential houses in hilltop areas. Deforestation for firewood and charcoal is another leading contributor to flooding and mudslides.
