Following the announcement by SONABEL, the Agency responsible for the Management of the Bagre and Kompienga dams in Burkina Faso, of a possible spillage between August 5 to Monday, August 10, 2020, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has urged communities downstream and those along the White Volta lake to move to higher grounds and safe havens.
The Director-General of NADMO, Eric Agyemang Prempeh, alerted the communities when he paid a working visit to districts in the Upper East Region that were severely affected by the previous spillage of the two dams to assess the level of preparations ahead of the possible spillage anytime soon.
According to NADMO, the spillage is due to the rise of water levels of the two dams. The current level of the Kompienga dam, as of August 5, 2020, was 172.41m with the rate of rise at 38.45 percent as against 28.66 percent the same period last year.
The level of the Bagre Dam as of August 5, 2020, was 234.62m with its rate of rise at 94.42 percent as against 60.58 percent the same period last year. Due to the rapid rise in the water level of the Bagre Dam, the opening of the dam valves may be affected as soon as the level reaches 234.75m and that may happen any day between 5th August 2020, and Monday 10th August 2020.
Due to the possible effect of the spillage of the two dams on areas downstream the White Volta, some communities along the river are likely to be affected, as in flooding and NADMO would want such communities to be on the alert and prepare themselves for the spillage and its impact on them and their activities.
NADMO has automatically launched ‘’Operation ThunderBolt 2020’’ with immediate effect.
In an interview with GBC NEWS at the Confluence of the two dams in Galaka a community in the Bawku West District, the Director-General of NADMO, Eric Agyemang Prempeh, spoke about the purpose of his visit.
NADMO has thus dispatched its Men to the Districts in the affected regions to prepare the people in the area and to train them to manage the effect of the spillage on their Communities. The NADMO Team would be based in Tamale and Bolga but the training will go on in two zones.
NADMO has entreated all the people living along the White Volta and all the affected areas to co-operate with the NADMO Staff and the supporting staff from the District Assemblies to make the Operation a success to help save lives and properties.
Areas likely to be directly affected by the spillage are Bawku West, Nabdam, Talensi, and Pulsiga, Binduri all in the Upper East region.
Others to be affected in the North East region are West Mamprusi, Mamprugu, Magdori, and Mamprusi. Kumbugu, Karaga, Tolon, Savelugu are areas to be affected in the Northern region. Daboya, Central Gonna (Buipe), and Lawra in the Savannah and Lawra West regions, respectively will also be affected.
By: Samuel Ayammah.
