Bagre Dam Spillage: Eight Dead, Over 100k Displaced

• Posted on September 10, 2018
• by Ellsamwise King
• Comment

The flood disaster in Northern region is gradually getting out of control as the number of displaced persons increase leaving regional authorities overwhelmed, helpless and lamenting the slow response to urgent call for help.

Regional authorities are struggling to scale down the impact of floods across parts of the region.

As of last Friday, 100, 000 people had been displaced with thousands of hectors of farmlands destroyed.

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) had promised that it is working to bring the situation under control although it had warned that the impact of the disaster would increase this week.

Speaking to Starr Midday News, Starr News’ Northern regional correspondent, Eliasu Tanko said seven people have now been confirmed dead in the disaster.

More than 50 hectares of farmland have been destroyed and many forced to evacuate from homes to high grounds in the West Mamprusi District.

Nearly half of communities in the North Gonja district are cut off as waters from the Bagre dam continue to inundate farmlands and destroy crops.

Residents of Mamprugu Moiduru (Oversea district) who use to access parts of the region through Walewale now travel through Upper East region due to massive destruction caused by the spillage and lashing rains.

“I’m currently in Tamale, when I was coming I had to pass through Bolga and it even affected my car engine.  The whole place is flooded. Most of the communities around the rivers and are farming at the banks are already in great loss,” the District Chief Executive, Abu Adams told Starr News by telephone.

In the Savelugu Municipality, torrential downpour and the dam spillage flooded many homes, farms and killed at least three people.

The District Chief Executive of the Central Gonja district, Dr Mustapha Mahama confirmed that thousands of people have been cut off from the district capital and unable to access healthcare.

The spillage of the dam and increasing rainfall are swelling the black and white Volta Rivers. Some of the bridges have been washed away in the Tuluwe area. Though we have some health centres, definitely it’s going to affect the people,” Dr Mustapha said.