FREETOWN, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Mourners, relatives, neighbors and friends on Thursday gave final respects to over 300 victims of the Aug. 14 mudslides and flooding in the area of Sierra Leone's capital.
The burial of the dead took place at Waterloo on the outskirts of Freetown.
The military and police were in their full regalia and a 21 gun salute was given to show respect for the dead.
During the funeral organized by the government, President Ernest Bai Koroma made a speech saying this was another painful episode in the west African country's history.
"We will bury our loved ones but we will not bury our hopes," he said, adding that the nation would rise above this tragedy and begin once again the process of moving the nation forward.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from neighboring Liberia attended the funeral and consoled the bereaved families.
Rescue operations are still going on and humanitarian aid is coming in to help the affected in the worst ever natural disaster caused by heavy rain to hit Freetown. The mudslides and flooding in and near Freetown also left thousands homeless.
