Floods collapse 93 houses in Ghana's North East Gonja, leaving 246 homeless
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Torrential rains have collapsed at least 93 houses and left more than 246 residents without shelter in Ghana's North East Gonja District, with NADMO assessing the damage and promising relief within 48 hours.
At least 93 houses have collapsed and more than 246 residents have been left without shelter after torrential rains caused severe flooding in parts of the North East Gonja District of Ghana's Savannah Region.
The floods also destroyed food stocks, farm produce and livestock, and washed away a section of a feeder road that links communities including Lantung Park, Kedingi and Kanankula to the local market. The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) said the flooding followed continuous rainfall that began on Wednesday.
NADMO's Savannah Regional Director, Mahama Zakaria, who led an assessment of the affected communities, said the extent of the damage had been documented and situation reports sent to the organisation's head office. He said relief items could reach affected residents within 48 hours. "Our immediate priority is to assess the extent of the damage and provide support to residents who have been displaced," Zakaria said.
Residents said their losses extend beyond damaged homes. Luckman Musah said floodwaters destroyed his bags of soybeans, maize and rice as well as his livestock. "We are appealing to the government and other stakeholders to come to our aid because we have lost our homes, food and sources of livelihood," he said.
The District Chief Executive for North East Gonja, Abdul Mumin Ewuntomah, confirmed that about 93 structures had collapsed across the district and said residents from around Bimbila who rely on the road to reach the market had also been cut off. "If the route is not fixed, many people will not be able to come to the market, and this will affect businesses and livelihoods," he said, appealing to the National Security apparatus, the Minister of Roads and Highways and the Department of Feeder Roads to treat the road damage as an emergency.
Traders said the damaged road was already hurting business. Eric, a business operator, said customers and traders could no longer move freely between the communities and the market. District officials also raised concerns about residents' access to healthcare, while residents warned that prolonged inaccessibility could worsen the economic impact of the floods.