THREE PERSONS have lost their lives after Sunday evening torrential rainfall that hit most part of Kpone-Katamansu Municipality of the Greater Accra region.
The names of the deceased persons were given as Bernard Asamoah and Daniel Boye Adika, a tailor whose wife delivered about a month ago. They lost their lives at the Pinkwae Electoral Area in Katamansu.
However, search is still underway for one of the persons.
The victims, according to information gathered by DGN ONLINE, occurred when ten people who were returning from town after the rain decided to cross a bridge at Agbesi Laryea as the three were carried away by the running water.
The bodies were found at West Jordan, another vicinity but reports added that other fatalities could be recorded in other parts of the area as those areas were also badly hit by the two-hour downpour.
The bodies have been deposited at the morgue of the Tema General Hospital for preservation and autopsy.
One of the survivors, Jonas Dogbo told DGN ONLINE that the incident occurred at about 8:30pm when the only bridge at Agbesi Laryea which connect about six communities to Ashaiman and other areas got flooded.
According to him, “we’re 10 in number and held each other’s hand to cross after a small boy crossed it. We got to a place when we noticed that the intensity of the water was high when we got integrated with three missing and seven surviving.
He continued: “we mounted a search of the three people and found one in the morning with another body this afternoon.”
Some residents who shared their frustration told DGN ONLINE that more lives will be lost until proper drain is constructed in the area.
The residents explained that a bridge at the scene which was built in the 1950s has become too small and cannot contain the volume of water that runs from the Aburi mountains, hence the yearly flooding claiming lives.
They threatened to block the road if government do not construct the bridge.
Meanwhile, a visit to the area by DGN ONLINE revealed that the water level at some places rose far above four feet in most parts of the Kpone-Katamansu Municipality, with the raging floods destroyed properties running into thousands of Ghana cedis, with several items including electrical gadgets, cars, kiosks and other household items swept away by the water.
Commercial properties in the vicinity, especially the ones around Agbesi Laryea and West Jordan, were submerged while vehicles were also washed away in other areas. Lots of people have also been displaced, with most of them seeking refuge in areas where there was no flooding.
Meanwhile, Assemblyman for the Pinkwae Electoral Area, Joshua Bortey Afutu says he has raised issues over the reconstruction of the bridge countless times with the Kpone-Katamansu Municipal Assembly (KKMA) but nothing has been done as lives are lost in each year.
FROM Vincent Kubi, Katamansu