Two confirmed dead from Bagre Dam spillage

Water level of the White Volta is rising faster than expected following the spillage of Burkina Faso’s Bagre Dam, officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) have said.

The Francophone country began spillage of the Dam on Friday August 29, but its effect has been quite minimal until last Monday.

NADMO raised alarm over effects of the spillage in the past two days, citing that 11 out of 15 communities in the West Mamprusi District in the Upper East Region has been submerged.

Two persons have been confirmed dead.

Narrating the incident on TV3, James Wunira Braimah, the District NADMO Coordinator said the deceased were among six persons who decided to go to their farms to harvest.

They were in a boat, but it sunk in the river, Mr Braimah said.

Four were rescued, he added.

Inhabitants in the area have been advised not to visit their farms as a result of the spillage, which is expected to result in rising water levels of the White Volta.

The Bagre Dam was constructed in 1992 with 67 billion CFA Francs from the World Bank.

It contains seven billion cubic metres of water and is used to irrigate cereals by 3,325 families.

It is the biggest dam in Burkina Faso, 40 metres deep, 400km long and 90km wide. It can support between 40,000 and 80,000 hectares arable land but currently, only 4,000 hectares is being utilised.