A six-year-old boy, Luvic Attah Oduro, who was carried away by floods at Ahenbronum in the Old Tafo municipality of the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, has been found dead.
Reports suggest that the deceased was playing with his friends in the rain when the incident occurred. In an attempt to pick his sandals, he fell into a drain and was swept away by the flood.
The victim’s aunt, Mama Linda, narrated the incident to Asaase News saying Oduro’s lifeless body was later discovered after a search.
“He was playing in the rain with his friends but ended up being carried away by the flood in an attempt to retrieve his sandals from the water. Residents of this area embarked on a search for the body around 6pm. He was sent to the Tafo government hospital and was pronounced dead. He has been sent to the mortuary,” Mama Linda said.
Meanwhile, two missing male adults drowned in the floods after the Owabi River overflowed its banks during Wednesday’s rains.
The victims are Kwaku Aboagye, aged 47 and Kwame Asuman, aged 57.
Officials from National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other emergency services have been deployed to the Atafua electoral area in the Bantama constituency as local divers join the rescue mission.
The assemblyman for Abrepo Mpatasie, Daniel Acheampong, who spoke to Asaase News said, “Kwaku Aboagye was the first to be swept away by the flood. His family came to the river this morning in search of the body only for his elder brother, Kwame Asuman, to also end up drowning in the river in an attempt to retrieve the body of his brother.”
Acheampong added that their bodies were found hours after traditional authorities at Atafua, performed some customary rites at the river.
NADMO has also confirmed the death of a fourth victim. The Ashanti Regional director of NADMO, Frank Duodu, said, “The victim crossed the flooded bridge with his motorbike and he drowned. So, our men were there to do a search and rescue… We have been able to get them all. These are man-made disasters because the victims ignored all warning signs.”
The torrential rains hit parts of the Greater Kumasi area including Asafo, Tafo Ahenbronum, Atafua, Asebi Junction and Aboabo, cutting off roads and displacing households.
Duodu said, “As we speak, there could be heavy rains in the coming days. With much education at the mosques, churches and the media release, I am sure this can be avoided.”
Reporting by Irene Pomaa Kumi in the Ashanti Region
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