The death toll in last Tuesday’s floods in the Tamale metropolis now stands at four.
Three of the deceased persons are Hajia Fati Bapuni, a 54-year-old teacher whose body was found in her car last Tuesday; Haliya Alhassan, an eight-year-old girl of the Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Primary School, and Sulemana Hamran, a 13-year-old pupil of the Bethel Methodist Primary School at Tishigu.
Victims
The bodies of the two children were discovered by a joint police and Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) rescue team at different locations in the metropolis.
According to the police, the little girl was swept away when she stepped out to urinate in a drain behind her school, while Hamran’s body was found at a dam site at Fuo.
Hajia Fati, who was carried away in her car by the flood into a big drain near the Gariba Lodge, was said to be on her way to the Kamina Barracks Basic School to pick up her 13-year-old son from the school.
Hajia Fati, whose remains were laid to rest in Tamale on Wednesday in accordance with Islamic customs and tradition, was alone in her car.
Displaced persons
Hundreds of residents who were also affected by the floods in different parts of the metropolis are currently putting up with relatives and friends, while others were seen scooping water from their rooms when the Daily Graphic went round the affected communities yesterday.
Some residents of Shishegu, Bilpela, Rice City (Gumani), Gumbihini, Kalariga, Kanvili-Tunayili and Gurugu, the hardest hit by the floods, were seen trying to salvage the remains of their personal belongings that were soaked in the water.
Meanwhile, commercial activities have bounced back in the metropolis, 24 hours after the floods.
Govt’s response
During a tour of the affected areas yesterday, the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, gave an assurance that the government would address the perennial flooding in the metropolis.
He pledged to set up an endowment fund with seed money of GHc5,000 to take care of the education of Hajia Fati’s son.
The Veep, who was accompanied by the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Sa-eed Salifu, members of the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), also visited Hajia Fati’s family to commiserate with them.
He also expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their relatives and his sympathy to those who were affected by the floods.
More rains
Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Director of the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA), Mr Jacob Lambon, has indicated that the area will witness more rainfall from now till October.
He, therefore, urged residents to take precautionary measures and also advised those living in low-lying areas to move to safer areas to avoid any possible future disaster.
Source: graphic.com
