A 10-year-old child has died and over 700 people from 12 communities along the White Volta in the North Gonja district of the Savannah Region have been displaced by floods.
The White Volta river overflew its banks due to the spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso and submerged homes and farmlands in the communities.
The Savannah Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mohammed Tohir disclosed that there are several other people who are yet to be rescued.
“About 750 people have been affected. Unfortunately, we lost a 10-year-old child. Some of them have been taken to the Wasipe Senior High School. We will need some time to access others who are inaccessible now. For now, we are working things out to support them. We are appealing to our superiors to provide us with life jackets, so we can rescue victims of the floods. “
The NADMO Coordinator further noted that homes and farmlands in 12 communities along the White Volta have been submerged in the flood.
The affected communities are Daboya, the district capital, Danbolto, Wawato, Lingbisi, Disa, Singa, Tari, Mankarigu, Yagbon, Sekpala, Kaloribeso, and Sekpege.
A victim who shared his plight with Citi News narrated how he is coping with the situation.
“In the evening we find places to lay our heads and return the next day. The water has destroyed all our electrical appliances.”
While some victims are receiving shelter from family members and friends, others are being housed at the Wasipe Senior High school in Daboya.
The flooding occurs every year after the spillage of the Bagre dam in Burkina Faso.
The Savannah Regional Minister, Salifu Braimah Adam complained that some of the residents have been disregarding the warning from NADMO.
“Attitude is something that is very difficult to overcome. These houses should not have been here. But they are too attached to the houses. NADMO has to come round to force them to move. But they decline. This is a big problem. Until we change, things will remain the same,” he said.
What happened?
Torrential rainfall in northern parts of Ghana coupled with spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso left hundreds of farmlands submerged.
The floods have claimed the lives of close to ten people in the North-East Region.
Almost every year, the flood gates of the Bagre dam are opened and this usually affects residents along the White and Black Volta rivers.
