Storm at Mpaha displaces over 300 residents

At least more than 300 houses have been severely destroyed displacing over dozen in a multiple violent rainstorms that hit three communities in the Central Gonja district in Northern region.

130 houses and small business structures at Kigripei were devastated, 100 at Mpahar and more than 130 at Gburje in a pounding rains accompanied by steamed storms.

Some structures were leveled, trees fell and utility poles uprooted when winds of up to 100 kilometers per hour struck across the district which is prone to storm disasters due to heavy illegal deforestation activities by rosewood merchants.

Half a million of residents have been rendered homeless. Some have sheltered in schools and others perching with relatives.

District Chief Executive officer Hon. mustapha Mahama who took office only three days ago visited the scenes and were seen with dazed residents near remains of battered houses surrounded by splintered woods and toppled poles.
Ravaged roofing sheets and debris strewn in the villages after the incident. Some buildings were reduced to rubbles forcing occupants to flee.

“Residents are helping themselves with some old and couple of new zinc. It is a disturbing situation. Others have resorted to sleeping in school, unfortunately some of the schools are affected”, Hon. Mustapha told StarrNews after the mission.

The DCE said the struggling National Disaster Management Organization were less capable of dealing with the situation due to relief items constraints, efforts were being made to organize aid packages for the victims.

Storm is common during raining season in the Central Gonja district, where rainfall has been particularly low and many residents living without good drinking water.

Last year, two persons were injured and score displaced when a similar situation occurred at Kusawgu.

The NPP government has pledged to tackle storm and water shortage situation after failure of Mahama led administration to assist residents of a district dominated by Gonjas.