Diesi Dam Overflows after Heavy Downpour, Cutting Off Communities

A section of the Varempare-Diesi road in the Wa West District has been cut off following a dam overflow after a heavy downpour on Saturday night, leaving residents of Diesi and Varempare stranded and cut off from essential services.

Residents told Info Radio that the overflow has caused significant damage, isolating the Diesi community from vital amenities, particularly healthcare. With the road now impassable, residents must rely on longer, more expensive alternative routes to access medical services in Wa or Wechiau.

Ansingmwine Issa, a resident of Varempare, expressed concern over the economic and social impact of the disaster. "This is the easiest road connecting us to Dorimon and other communities beyond the dam," he said. "We now have to spend a lot more on transportation, and if the issue is not addressed quickly, the consequences will be severe for both Varempare and Diesi."

He further noted that access to farmlands has been blocked, and Diesi residents can no longer reach the regional capital, Wa, for economic activities without taking a long detour through Dorimon, which is several miles away.

Another resident, Seidu Dong, blamed the overflow on the structural weakness of the dam's banks. He alleged that the contractor who worked on the dam years ago failed to properly compact the banks, making them susceptible to collapse.

“The dam is important to us, especially during the dry season when young people depend on it for fishing,” Dong said. “The poor quality of the previous repair work is why we’re facing this situation again.”

Atik Mahmuda, also a resident, echoed similar concerns about the economic implications of the damaged dam.

“Fishing in the dam is the main source of income for many young people here during the dry season,” he explained. “With the current state of the dam, we may not have a good fishing season this year.”

Mr Mahmuda also highlighted the impact on education, saying that children in Diesi may not be able to attend school because teachers are unable to reach the community.

Meanwhile, the Upper West Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Abdul-Latif Sinsew Osman, has announced plans to visit the affected areas to assess the situation.

He confirmed that Saturday night's downpour destroyed over 120 households, leaving more than 300 people affected with varying degrees of loss.

NADMO is expected to take immediate action following the assessment to provide relief and plan rehabilitation of the damaged road and dam infrastructure.