BY GRACE ZIGAH
More than 3,000 residents have been displaced in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region after the River Dayi overflowed its banks, flooding several communities and affecting more than 400 homes.
The flooding has forced residents from their homes, with the Zongo area identified as one of the worst-affected communities. More than half of the community has reportedly been submerged as floodwaters spread through neighbourhoods along the river.
The scale of the disaster has created an urgent humanitarian situation, with displaced residents being moved to temporary shelters, including classrooms, while authorities search for more suitable accommodation.
The Municipal Assembly and other local authorities are facing growing pressure to respond to the needs of the affected population, prompting appeals for assistance from individuals, organisations and other stakeholders.
River Dayi overflow worsens situation
Communities situated along the River Dayi have been particularly affected by the flooding following the overflow of the river.
Although the heavy rainfall that triggered the situation has stopped, the Member of Parliament for Hohoe, Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo, said water levels were still rising in some areas.
He described the situation as overwhelming and appealed for urgent support to help affected residents.
MP said the scale of the emergency had become too much for the constituency’s political and municipal leadership to handle alone.
“It’s overwhelming. The MP and the MCE alone cannot, in fact, we are not able to. We are calling for support,” he said.
The MP’s appeal comes as hundreds of households contend with the loss of access to their homes and the disruption of normal community life.
Some of those affected have reportedly been accommodated in classrooms, although authorities are seeking alternative facilities that can provide more suitable and sustainable shelter.
The use of classrooms as temporary accommodation also raises concerns about the disruption of educational activities if the flooding and displacement persist.
The situation remains fluid, according to the MP, as authorities continue monitoring the movement and level of the floodwaters.
Tsekpo commended the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and security agencies for their intervention during the emergency.
He said the agencies had played an important role in evacuating residents from vulnerable areas and helping to minimise the risk of loss of life.
The evacuation efforts have become particularly important in communities where floodwaters have spread rapidly and residents have had to leave their homes.
The MP’s comments suggest that while the immediate priority has been the protection of lives, the growing number of displaced residents has created a second challenge for authorities: finding adequate accommodation and providing relief to people who have lost access to their homes.
