Five hundred made homeless

Nankese (E/R), March 21, GNA -- Nankese is the latest town in the Eastern Region to be hit by a rainstorm which blew off the roofs of about 100 houses and rendered more than 500 people homeless.

The booming cocoa and plantain producing town in the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District had a down pour accompanied by a severe windstorm last Friday which blew-off the roofs of the buildings including public schools.

Personal effects running into several millions of cedis were destroyed in addition to farm produce, especially plantain. The residents told the Eastern Regional Minister, Miss Patience Adow, when she visited the town on Monday to access the extent of damage that a number of buildings collapsed during the one hour storm.

According to Mr Samuel Akuffo, one of the assemblymen of the town, the storm destroyed both new and old structures. Miss Adow consoled the people and promised assistance, especially to those whose houses were destroyed.

She stressed the need to plant more trees to safeguard buildings from such storms. Mrs Stephen Frimpong-Manso, Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District Chief Executive, appealed for assistance from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other benevolent organisations.

He said the assembly was doing its best to help alleviate the pains of the victims. Earlier, Miss Adow had toured the Zongo community in Koforidua which was also affected by a similar storm last Friday.

Mr Christopher Boahen Boaten, the Deputy Eastern Regional NADMO Co-ordinator, accompanied her.