At least 28 killed, 286 homes destroyed as severe flooding hits Upper East Region, Ghana
Image credit: NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP/VIIRS
Eight days of unusually heavy rain caused severe floods in parts of northeastern Ghana, leaving at least 28 people dead.
According to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), 286 homes were completely destroyed and 1 264 partially damaged.
"The latest situational report indicates that 28 people have lost their lives in the Upper East Region of the Republic of Ghana. The rains are still ongoing. We have about 640 people displaced," the agency's spokesman George Ayisi said on Wednesday, October 16, 2019.
Residents said there's a shortage of food, urging organizations and members of the public to help with food and relief aid.
The death toll is expected to rise, authorities said.
In addition, floods affected cemeteries in the area, exposing the coffins inside and then flowing into nearby boreholes and wells which are the only sources of water for residents.
NADMO said the situation is raising fears of an outbreak of an epidemic.
Meteorologists are warning more heavy rain and flooding is expected in the weeks ahead.
Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
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