Torrential rains cause disaster in Birim Central

Akyem Oda (E/R), June 07, GNA - A number of people in some communities in

the Birim Central Municipality were rendered homeless following torrential rains that

occurred over the weekend. Properties running into several thousands of Ghana Cedis were destroye= d while

many livestock were also swept away by the heavy foods. The most affected towns included Akyem Akroso, Tabita, Osenho and

Badukrom. These were made known when Ms Ophelia Koomson, the Birim Central

Municipal Chief Executive(MCE), accompanied by Mr Winfred Akyeampong, the

Municipal National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) Coordinator and

some officials toured the areas on Sunday. At Akyem Akroso, the roofs of the Health Post were ripped off with the wards

flooded destroying documents and other medical equipments. Ms Gifty Beecham, Staff Midwife of the Health Post, said the rains which started

at about 1700 hours were accompanied by severe thunders lasting for about five

hours. The Salvation Army Church including its Mission House was completely

submerged in the floods making it impossible for normal Sunday church service to

take place. Mr Adu Boahene, Secretary of the Church, told Ms Koomson and her team that

musical instruments, personal belongings of the pastor and his family were all

destroyed. In most of the houses visited, the affected people were seen wading through the floods almost at waist level trying to salvage their belongings. Ms Koomson told the victims that the Assembly would liaise with NADMO on how to assist them to rehabilitate their homes. The MCE and her team later went to Osenho and Tabita where they were led by Mr David Kofi Nkweefi, the Assembly Member for the area, to tour the flooded areas and to sympathize with the victims. At Tabita the team visited one Shaibu Kwesi who was injured in the rainstorm. The team could not visit Badukrom because they realized that the town had been

cut off from the rest of the municipality as the road leading to the area was flooded.