Sandema/Garu Tempane (UE), September 01, GNA - A high-powered delegation from the Ministries of Interior and Defence on Friday undertook a fact-finding visit to the flood-hit areas in the Upper East Region to assess the extent of damage caused by the recent heavy rains, and to make a recommendation to Government for relief aid for the victims.

The rains have rendered a lot of people homeless, some of whom are being accommodated in classrooms and Community Centers, while others are putting up with relatives.

The official death toll in the disaster has been put at six people. Farms and farm produce have also been destroyed and properties running into several millions of cedis also destroyed.

Many roads were destroyed, making travelling and economic activities rather difficult.

The team, led by the Interior Minister, Mr. Kwamena Bartels, also included the Minister of Defence, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Co-coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Mr. George Isaac Amo, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Patrick Acheampong.

Mr. Bartels earlier told the Regional Minister, Mr. Alhassan Samari, that the visiting team was tasked by President John Agyekum Kufuor to undertake a critical assessment of the damage caused by the recent heavy rains that hit the region and to make appropriate recommendation to Government on how to assist the flood victims.

He emphasized that the President and the Government were much concerned about the trauma of the victims and would do everything possible to assist them.

"President Kofour is emotionally touched by the incident, and that is why he immediately dispatched this high powered delegation to do critical analysis and to determine how to assist the affected communities," he stated.

The National Coordinator of NADMO admonished people not to build on waterways since they stood the danger of being destroyed by rains and indicated that most of the houses that were being affected by floods were constructed on waterways.

He announced that a consignment of relief items had already been dispatched and would soon arrive in the region to be distributed among the victims, while other forms of support would follow up.

"Government would endeavour to provide you with a reasonable amount of relief items to support you and your families", Mr. Amo said.

Some of the affected areas visited included Sandema, Kulungugu, Garu- Tempane, and the Tamne-Woriyanga bridge. The Regional Minister and his Deputy, Mrs. Agnes Chegabatia, and other Regional Heads of Departments accompanied the visiting delegation to the affected areas.

Meanwhile, many mud houses are still collapsing as the rains continue to fall throughout the Region.