The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO)has launched an aggressive emergency response to counter the impending crisis from the spillage of excess water from Burkina Faso’s Bagre and Kompienga dams.
As floodwaters threaten to devastate communities along the White and Black Volta rivers, NADMO’s comprehensive strategy includes the establishment of safe havens across flood-prone areas to shelter displaced individuals.
In a bid to ensure the swift delivery of aid, the organisation has also deployed drone services to reach communities that may become isolated by the rising waters.
John Kweku Alhassan, NADMO’s North East Regional Director, in an interview, emphasized the urgency of their operations, stating that the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) had been activated to streamline and coordinate relief efforts.
“To minimise further loss, NADMO has positioned teams at key vantage points throughout the region to protect lives and property,” he asserted.
He further revealed that life jackets have been strategically placed at critical locations and that personnel have been dispatched to lowland areas to educate residents on safety procedures and emergency responses.
The floodgate of the Bagre Dam was opened at 9:30 a.m. last Monday, with a discharge rate of 46m3/s, leaving the region on high alert.
As the nation braces for the worst, residents in the Northern, North East, Upper East, and Savannah regions find themselves on edge, awaiting the full impact of the spillage.
While the current situation remains under control, the annual ritual of water release from the Bagre and Kompienga dams continues to leave these vulnerable communities at the mercy of nature, with NADMO standing as the last line of defense against an impending disaster.
