A violent windstorm has forced two of central Liberia’s leading community radio stations off air after damaging critical broadcasting infrastructure, disrupting access to news and emergency information for thousands of residents in Bong County.
The storm, accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds, severely damaged Voice of Bong FM 103.5 and Premium FM 98.1, two widely listened-to stations serving communities across one of Liberia’s most populous counties.
At Voice of Bong FM, station officials said the transmission tower collapsed during the storm, crashing onto a nearby residential structure. No injuries or fatalities were reported. The station, owned by Representative J. Marvin Cole, remains off air as engineers assess the extent of the damage.
Premium FM, owned by Senator Prince K. Moye, also sustained significant damage after sections of its roof were torn off and key transmission systems destroyed, resulting in an immediate shutdown of broadcasting operations.
Witnesses described the storm as sudden and intense, with powerful winds bringing down structures within minutes. The damage has raised concerns over the fragility of communication infrastructure in rural Liberia, where radio remains the most accessible and trusted source of information for many communities.
Community radio stations in Liberia play a vital role in delivering local news, public health information, civic education, and emergency alerts, particularly in areas with limited internet connectivity and weak infrastructure. Their temporary closure creates an information vacuum for residents who depend on daily broadcasts for updates on government announcements, weather conditions, and community affairs.
Media observers say the incident highlights growing concerns around climate-related risks to broadcasting infrastructure in vulnerable regions. Extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall and windstorms, have increasingly affected public infrastructure across Liberia in recent years.
Damage assessments are ongoing, but station authorities have not announced timelines for returning to air. Calls are mounting for urgent support from government agencies, private partners, and development organizations to help restore services quickly.
The prolonged outage of both stations could significantly affect information flow and community engagement in Bong County, where radio remains central to public communication and local governance.