The Upper East Regional National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has distributed relief items to displaced residents hit by torrential rains in the region.
According to NADMO, torrential rains in the region for the month of October had claimed 19 lives, injured 46 and displaced 26,698 residents, consisting of 15,431 adults and 11,267 children in all the 15 municipalities and districts of the region.
A total of 6,142 houses were affected consisting of 2,222 completely collapsed houses and 3,920 partially collapsed houses.
Speaking at the briefing of the Regional disaster management committee in Bolgatanga, Regional NADMO Coordinator, Jerry Asamani, said, a committee was set to determine the modalities for distribution of the over 9,000 relief items to the affected flood victims, adding that, his outfit and government have been responsive to the plight of the flood victims.
“We have distributed the following items; 545 bags of rice, 204 gallons of cooking oil, 69 bags of sugar, 1,500 blankets, 330 boxes of soap, 685 buckets and 1,370 pieces of cups. The rest are; 1,370 pieces of plates, 680 mats, 298 bags of maize, 15 bales of used clothing, 1,800 mosquito net and 360 basins to all the 15 Municipal and District Assemblies.”
Mr. Asamani identified cases of some residents building their local mud houses on low land and waterlog areas whilst others build with a very weak foundation thus leading to the collapse of their houses during the torrential rains.
He indicated that NADMO will collaborate with government for support to reengineer the architecture in building resilient houses for the displaced residents.
“We want to see how we can get support from government to emulate the structural engineering of new houses built by the Swiss Red Cross for the people of Kologo when they were displaced by floods last year. …And how have they done it, it is the first three-four courses that have been built with blocks and the rest with mud up to completion and that is the only way the foundation can withstand any floodwaters or torrential rains so as to prevent the collapse of buildings which has in some cases killed some people”.
Mr. Asamani hinted that, government will soon come out with a white paper on how to support raise new rooms or houses for the displaced residents affected by the torrential rains.
The meeting afforded NADMO the opportunity to account to the Regional disaster management committee on the flood disaster situation in the region and to propose strategies of ending the negative impact of flood disasters on residents.
Chairman of the Regional disaster management committee, Naba Moses Appeah admonished key stakeholders to work in synergy through timely information sharing for proactive disaster management in the region.
The meeting was attended by all heads of security agencies, the Ghana health service, Water resources Management, Ghana Red Cross, the Metrological service among others.