Regions

Accra, Sept. 8, GNA - The National Disaster Management Organisation NADMO) has dispatched an assessment team to the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions as part of its response to floods in the area. The situation, is likely to be aggravated by the spillage of water from the Bagre Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso. The teams are to assess the flood situation with the relevant UN agencies, non-governmental organisations and recommend appropriate measures to deal with it.

A statement issued by NADMO in Accra on Tuesday said a special rescue team comprising the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Army Forces and NADMO Rapid Response Team, had also moved to the North to respond to any emergencies that might arise as the result of the floods. It said the team, which would be based at Walewale in the Northern Region had the capability to swiftly respond to any emergency in any part of the three regions.

The assessment teams were made up of NADMO personnel and members of the Hydro-meteorological and Relief and Reconstruction Technical Committees comprising Meteorologists; Hydrologists, Town and Country Planners, City Engineers, Medical Officers, Highway, Urban Roads, Feeder Roads Engineers and other professionals.

The statement said they would be joined by the District Assemblies and other stakeholders in the various districts.

It said most of the northern parts of the country were currently experiencing severe floods due to continued torrential rainfall for the past three weeks.

Farms, buildings and other infrastructure have been destroyed and the flood situation is being exacerbated by the opening of the Bagre Dam on Friday, September 4.

By Sunday, September 6, the spilled dam water had reached Ghana through Upper East Region flooding the White Volta and its tributaries. Already, NADMO teams in conjunction with the Regional and District Disaster Management Committees have been on the ground to assist the vulnerable communities and so far no deaths have been reported.