Heavy rain has caused floods and mudslides in Sierra Leone, leaving almost 500 dead.

The disaster has particularly affected Freetown, the country's capital. Part of the Sugar Loaf Mountain collapsed on the edge of the city in the Regent area, flooding and burying dozens of homes under mud.

Flooding began during the night on 14 August, leaving people with little to no warning as flood waters and mud swept into the streets of Freetown. More than 3000 people were left homeless and 10,000 have been forced to evacuate. Authorities have urged thousands more to evacuate from areas at risk of further landslides.

Rescue operations are ongoing but Freetown is already struggling to cope with the scope of the damage and loss of life which is expected to rise over the coming days.