The Office of the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) in the Upper West Region says rapid assessment is being undertaken to collate the level of damage caused by the recent floods in the region in order to source support for victims.
This comes after parts of the Upper West Region predominantly the Nadowli-Kaleo, Daffiama-Busie-Issa (DBI) and Wa East Districts were submerged following about 8 hours of heavy downpour on Friday, August 14, 2021 in the areas.
Speaking on Info Radio’s late afternoon current affairs program, Te Zine Yiri Yela, the Upper West Regional Manager of the GRCS, Jeremiah Afako said his outfit has since the day of the disaster been assisting to keep the situation under check, and is currently undertaking swift assessment of the level havoc caused to individuals and communities by the floods.
He said the GRCS is working tirelessly with Upper West Regional Directorate of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to get to affected communities to provide accurate figure of residents affected by the torrential rainfall.
Mr Afako however, stated that some of the areas are still not accessible by road due to extreme levels of the flooding water which he said, has been challenging to them in their pursuit to having the damage fully assessed.
The Regional Manager also revealed that aside the Nadowli-Kaleo and DBI Districts, communities in the Wa East Districts experience even worse case of the flooding as several mileage and acreage of farmlands are currently submerged.
He said the case of the Wa East District, rich food basket of the Upper West Region, is rather devastating and dire as it threatens food security.
Mr Afako reiterated the resolve and tenacity of the Red Cross Society to alleviating human suffering in times damages, as it is the case, and has said plans were in to provide assistance to the affected residents as soon as the damage was fully assessed.
He said the GRCS together with its partners in the humanitarian support space will work out processes to have human dignity restored in the affected areas.
Mr Jeremiah Afako stated that, in the meantime, the Swiss Red Cross has given a green light of lending a helping hand to affected communities.
He however advice residents in affected areas to seek shelter in schools and religious centers, if need be, while waiting on assistance from organizations.
He called on volunteers of the GRCS across the region to be ready to help out residents in times of need according to ethics as coded in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) principles.