In the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region, over 1,710 individuals have been displaced due to heavy rainfall causing severe flooding in multiple communities.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) officials clarified that the flooding, initiated by continuous heavy rains since last Monday, has submerged residences, farmlands, roads, and public facilities, leaving many families homeless and in immediate need of help.
Among the most impacted areas are Samreboi, Wassa Dunkwa, and Asankragwa, with Samreboi having the highest number of affected residents at 1,252, followed by Wassa Dunkwa with 293, and Asankragwa with 165 displaced individuals.
The Municipal Director of NADMO, Mr Elvis Coffie, revealed in an interview that the overflowing Tano and Semre rivers, due to prolonged rainfall, led to the disaster by flooding nearby communities and causing substantial damage to properties.
Mr Coffie mentioned that 572 households in Samreboi, as well as 153 households in Wassa Dunkwa and Asankragwa, experienced various levels of destruction.
Many of the affected residents have been moved to temporary shelters, with some staying in school classrooms, churches, or with relatives in nearby areas.
Mr Coffie highlighted the ongoing risk due to continuous rainfall, emphasizing that the rising water levels in the Tano River are exacerbating the flooding in the affected regions.
Relief aid like rice, cooking oil, soap, mattresses, and mosquito nets has been supplied by the Member of Parliament for the region, the Municipal Assembly, and some charitable individuals. However, Mr Coffie appealed for additional support from NADMO headquarters and the government to assist the increasing number of displaced persons.
While there have been no casualties reported, residents described the flooding as one of the worst disasters in recent years in the region.
Residents attributed the severity of the flooding to illegal mining activities, which have damaged the land and blocked natural water passages, heightening the communities’ susceptibility to such disasters.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Nelson, during his visit to the affected areas, expressed concern about the extensive damage and partly linked it to illegal mining practices near riverbanks. He urged residents to collaborate in fighting illegal mining and safeguarding water resources, stressing that government intervention alone cannot resolve the issue.
