20 killed in Ghana’s flood disaster

By Bimbo Ogunnaike with agency report

Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organization,(NADMO) has confirmed that  more than 20 people were killed as a result of torrential rain in the country’s north Upper-East region,

The Regional Coordinator of the organization, Asamani, told newsmen that the rain had displaced many households, farms and other properties in the region.

According to him, about 19 people sustained various injuries, and a total of 1,225 houses collapsed, with 1,664 houses partially been collapsed as a result of the heavy rain that flooded parts of the region.

He added that  government was to offer relief items to the affected families.

Ghana’s rainy season normally begins from May and lasts till October.

Last June after four days of heavy rain,  10 people were confirmed dead in the south of Ghana, just as the rain left the streets of Accra under water.

The nation’s capital was hit bit 185mm of rain , which is more than they would expect for the entire month of June.

A further 50mm of rain occurred exacerbating the severe problems already faced.

Heavy downpours were also recorded 150km to the west of Accra in the Central Regional capital, Cape Coast where 10 people died in floods,

The rains come too late to save the nations struggling coca crop. The region’s Harmattan winds have been blamed for likely poor yield.

The Harmattan is the cold, dry wind that blows across West Africa from the Sahara during the winter months. It does have a tendency to sap the moisture from the soil and can spoil the cocoa seeds.