1,200 people displaced by rain storm in Tumu

About 1,200 inhabitants of Tumu in the Sissala East District, are currently residing with friends and relatives as a result of a heavy rainstorm that hit the town on Tuesday at about 1600 hours.

Briefing the Ghana News Agency at Wa on Thursday, Mr Seidu Bawa, the Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), said about 150 houses were destroyed by the rainstorm.

He said the newly constructed Sissala East District Assembly building was worst affected by the storm and as a result the core staff of the Assembly had been relocated to the Assembly's Guest house as a temporary measure pending the renovation of the building.

Mr Bawa said the victims of the disaster lost personal belongings including foodstuffs.

He added that electricity poles that were destroyed by the storm also interrupted communication and power supply in the district.

Mr Bawa said NADMO would soon send relief items in the form of foodstuffs and tents to provide the victims with temporary shelter.

He explained that while this was being done, the district NADMO office would also be waiting for external interventions from central government, Non Governmental Organisations and philanthropists to come to the aid of the victims.

Mr Bawa said with the current outbreak of Celebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) in the region and the fresh reported cases of the H1N1 viral disease, NADMO would not relent in its efforts to rehabilitate the victims to avoid any congestion that could lead to the spread of the diseases.

He also urged all the District Assemblies in the region and beyond to quickly come to the aid of the Sissala East District.