A deep cloud of grief has settled over the community of Wuli Barrow Kunda following a devastating drowning incident that claimed the lives of a father, Ismaila Trawally, and his young daughter on Friday, July 31, 2026.
The tragedy occurred at a small bridge located between Barrow Kunda and Chamoi in the Wuli District, Upper River Region (URR), as the family was making their way home from their farms following heavy downpours in the area.
According to reports provided to JollofNews, Mr. Trawally and his family were returning from a day of agricultural work when they encountered the bridge completely submerged under fast-moving floodwaters.
Recognising the danger, Mr. Trawally instructed his wife and children to remain on the bank while he waded forward to test the submerged crossing and identify a safe footing for his family. However, one of his daughters followed him into the water.
Mr. Trawally lifted his daughter into his arms and attempted to navigate the hidden path with his feet. Tragically, he lost his footing in the torrent, causing both father and daughter to be pulled under and swept away by the strong current.
Mr. Trawally lifted his daughter into his arms and attempted to navigate the hidden path with his feet. Tragically, he lost his footing in the torrent, causing both father and daughter to be pulled under and swept away by the strong current.
“Ismaila Trawally was pulled from the raging waters alive but unresponsive. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries before arrival and his Daughter’s Body was recovered early Saturday morning following an extensive search along the riverbank by local residents.” a local source told JollofNews.
However, the double tragedy has left the local community in mourning. A joint funeral and burial ceremony for both father and daughter took place today, Saturday, August 1, at 2:00 p.m. in Barrow Kunda, attended by grieving relatives and community leaders.
The tragic deaths have reignited anger and concern among residents regarding regional infrastructure development. Many local community members point to a recently constructed road in the district as a primary catalyst for the severe flooding.
Residents contend that improper drainage design and altered natural water paths along the new road have exacerbated runoff during the rainy season, causing floodwaters to overflow key access points like the Barrow Kunda/Chamoi bridge and severely impacting local agricultural livelihoods across Wuli.
