Thousands of people were going into a second week in makeshift camps after being made homeless by severe flooding as Sierra Leone was buffeted by torrential rain, the authorities said Wednesday.

Floodwater destroyed houses and swept away property and vehicles as the capital Freetown, an overcrowded coastal city of 1.2 million mainly poor inhabitants, was pounded by torrential rain on Wednesday last week. 

At least seven people have died with hundreds made homeless as swathes of Sierra Leone's capital were submerged by massive flooding after hours of torrential rain, emergency management officials said Thursday.

Residents described how waters destroyed their homes, swept away household goods and damaged vehicles as Freetown, an overcrowded city of 1.2 million, was pounded overnight. 

U.S. officials are in touch with Sierra Leone authorities to try to resolve a political standoff around Vice President Sam Sumana, the State Department said Sunday.

But Sumana, who has gone into hiding after requesting asylum from the United States, is not being sheltered inside the U.S. embassy in Freetown.