NADMO issues alert as Burkina Faso prepares to spill dams

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has triggered what it calls ‘Operation ThunderBolt 2020’ following signals from Burkina Faso that the Bagre and Kompienga dams will be spilled any moment from Wednesday, August 5.

According to the Organisation, it has received reports from SONABEL, the managers of the two dams in Burkina Faso, that the dams will be opened due to the rate of rise in water levels.

The spillage has been scheduled between Wednesday and Monday, August 10.

“Due to the possible effect of the spillage of the two dams on areas downstream the White Volta, some communities along the river are likely to be affected, as in flooding and NADMO will want such communities to be on the alert and prepare themselves for the spillage and its impact on them and their activities,” the Director General, Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, said in a statement on Wednesday.

“We urge them to move to higher grounds and safe havens in all such affected communities.”

The communities listed to be affected by the spillage are Bawku West, Nabdam, Talensi and Pusiga, all in the Upper East Region.

The others are East and West Mamprusi and Mamprugu Magdori in North East Region and Kumbungu, Karaga, Tolon and Savelugu in the Northern Region.

The rest are Daboya and Central Gonja in the Savannah Region as well as Lawra in the Upper West Region.

“As a result of the report from SONABEL and its likely impact on communities downstream, which are mostly in Ghana as listed above, the management of NADMO has automatically launched ‘Operation ThunderBolt 2020’ with immediate effect.”

This has seen rescue officers dispatched to the various communities “to prepare the people in the area and to train them to manage the effect of the spillage on their communities”.

The Organisation asked for cooperation “to make the Operation a success to help save lives and properties”.