Ho Records heaviest rains in 15 years

Ho, June 21, GNA - Swift flowing waters from five hours of rains said to be highest in the past 15 years in the Ho Municipality on Tuesday inundated houses in low lying areas and along culverts and bridges.

Household items including kitchenwares, furniture pieces and clothing were washed away from houses by the waters that meandered along with tonnes of garbage.

Mr Peter Kofi Obeng, the Regional Meteorological Officer, said the rainfall measured 154.2 millimetres far above the nearest highest of 111.8 millimeters recorded in 2004.

He described the rain as a "steady downpour" with occasional thunder and lightning with hardly any squall.

Mr Obeng said more of such rains should be expected as the area reached its peak period and called on people living in low lying areas and in waterways to take precautions to protect life and property. Areas most affected by the rains when the Ghana News Agency went round included "Area 50/50," near the Regional Hospital where floodwaters cut the Ho-Aflao trunk road for about three hours. Others were the New Housing Area, Civic Centre, areas along the drainage near the YMCA and the Asogli Palace where victims of the floods had brought out their soaked household items including mattresses and cloths for drying.

The rains also destroyed the footbridge constructed to facilitate movement of people between the municipality and the 66 Artillery Regiment barracks and communities surrounding it.

The main bridge between the barracks and the communities was closed to traffic for reconstruction.

Eyewitnesses said even before the rains stopped, some young people were sighted in the floodwaters chasing items floating in the water. An official at the Regional Office of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) told the GNA that no formal reports had been received yet.