A/R: Death toll reaches 12 after 5 days of downpour

A total of 12 persons have been confirmed dead in the Ashanti Region following a downpour within the last five days. The last two deaths were recorded at Jachie in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region. One hundred and fifty residents at Esreso also in the Ashanti Region have been rescued after their homes got submerged. Hundreds of people have so far been displaced in parts of the Ashanti Region. The five-day torrential rains have left many properties destroyed, many other people are still trapped in their homes. The Oda River, one of the biggest rivers in the region, has overflown its banks forcing the water to spill to nearby communities. Areas such as Esreso, Jachie, Dompoase, Aprabo new site, Adegya and others have all been affected in the flood. A joint operation of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and Ghana National Fire Service has been out since Saturday, June 30 to rescue victims who were trapped in their homes. When TV3 news team visited some of the affected communities, flood victims were seen drying up their soaked items while others collected volumes of water from their rooms. Some of the affected victims told the news team they are planning on relocating. The District Chief Executive, Joseph Assuming, assured the assembly will enforce its bye-laws to salvage the situation. “Before you build any structure, you have to come to the assembly for a building permit, but people build anywhere and anyhow, but we are going to be very forceful in enforcing our bylaws. We have to be very firm to minimize the effect.” Source: 3news.com]]>