Ghana: More than 4.000 people flee their homes as Ghana’s major dam overflows

More than 4,000 people in the south-eastern region of Ghana have been forced to abandon their homes due to widespread flooding.

The crisis was triggered by the overflowing of the Akosombo dam, which led to the devastating destruction of homes and farmland along the banks of the Volta river.

The deluge disrupted essential services, leaving some areas without access to water and electricity. In an official statement on Friday, the Ghanaian government confirmed that thousands of people in at least nine districts had been displaced as a direct result of the flooding, local media reported.

The United Nations-affiliated Global Disaster Management and Coordination System reported that seven people were injured in the disaster.

Prior to the flooding, the Volta River Authority had issued notices urging residents to relocate to higher ground. This recommendation followed the rise in water levels upstream of the Akosombo dam, mainly due to heavy rainfall in the region.

Justine