Rainfall in parts of neighbouring Togo is contributing to rising floodwaters in the Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region, despite a lull in rainfall within the municipality, the area’s Member of Parliament, Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpor, has said.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, September 29, Mr Tsekpor explained that Hohoe’s low-lying terrain leaves the municipality vulnerable to runoff flowing across the border.
He said water levels in parts of the municipality were still rising, even though there had been a break in the rain locally.
“The major cause is the torrential rains in Togo. It has been raining in Hohoe for months now, but not to this magnitude. It has rained continuously, so the load from Togo that joined (the Hohoe rains) led the river (Dayi Lake) to overflow, causing what we are seeing,” he said.
The flooding has displaced more than 3,000 residents, and over 700 affected people are now sheltering in classrooms, according to the MP.
He said the floods had destroyed several homes, with mud-built houses among the worst affected, while residents had also lost personal belongings to the floodwaters.
Mr Tsekpor appealed for urgent assistance for affected residents as the floodwaters continue to rise.