The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has dispatched a team from Accra to beef-up operations in the three regions of the North and parts of Eastern Region as Burkina Faso begins to spill excess from the Bagre Dam.
The team, “Operation Thunderbolt”, headed by Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations, Abu Ramadan, will pitch camp in Walewale and Zebilla to help affected people along the banks of both Black and White Volta Rivers in any rescue operations.
Director-General of NADMO, Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, who announced this said they have notice from Sonablel Authorities of Burkina Faso, Managers of the Bagre Dam, that with the rising trend in the volume of the water in the dam compared to same period last year, it has become imperative to do the spillage of the dam earlier than scheduled.
He said the scheduled date was the first week in September this year but as at yesterday, the message from the managers of the dam said the volume of water in the dam stood at 80 per cent compared to 50 per cent rise in the volume of water same period last year.
The Director-General urged all those living along the banks of the Black and White Volta to move along with their valuables to higher grounds for their safety, adding, “The NADMO Team will be on-hand to give you all the needed support to ensure the safety of your lives and valuables”.
Regions to be affected by the spillage are the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Northern Volta and Afram Plains in the Eastern Region.
Eleven districts will be affected in the Northern Region and these are: Karaga, East Gonja, Nanumba South, Tolon Kumbungu, Bole, West Gonja, Savelugu, Nanton, East Manprusi, Yendi, and West Mamprusi.
In Upper East Region, Bawku West, Binduri and Talensi districts will be affected, while in Upper West Region, Nandom, Lawra, Nadowli and Wa West districts will be affected.
Mr Agyemang-Prempeh said they are working in collaboration with, the 48 Engineer Regiment, the Police, Fire Service, Ambulance Service, the Hydro-Metrological Services, District Assemblies and the affected communities to help mitigate the effect of the spillage.
