Heavy rainfall destroys properties in Upper East

Bolgatanga, Sept. 2, GNA - A heavy rainfall, lasting over seven hours, hit the Upper East Region and destroyed farms and personal effects running into several millions of Ghana cedis. Areas affected include Estate residential area, Tindongsubligo, Wonkongo, Pelingu as well as the Royal Hotel, Extee Hotel and Adom Kiddies International School, among others.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mark Woyongo, made this known to newsmen, when he inspected the affected areas. He was accompanied on his rounds by Mr Patrick Akake, Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO). At the Estate residential area, some of the affected persons had to climb on top of their buildings for safety and most of the roads in the town were flooded.

The residents complained that the same situation occurred last year and the Government pledged to assist them but nothing was done. In Wonkongo, Pelingu, Tindongsubligo, crops, including millet and rice were submerged by the flood, destroying it. The Regional NADMO Coordinator said currently, the Regional Office had no disaster relief items to assist flood victims, and asked the people to desist from building in waterways. The Regional Minister assured the affected people that the Regional Coordinating Council would send SOS message to NADMO office in Accra and other Philanthropists to help the affected people. It would be recalled that a similar downpour hit Sandema in the Builsa District at the weekend and also destroyed personal effect and crops.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, most of the people in Bolgatanga Municipality indicated that if the rain continued as previously, it would cause more destruction. The rain, which started about 0500 hours this Morning, finally subsided at mid-day.