Kasoa (C/R), July 3, GNA - Property worth over 400 million cedis were destroyed by floods at Iron City, near Kasoa in the Central Region. About 200 homes in and around the "City" were affected by the recent heavy rains, which caused River Okrudu, which lies between Kasoa and Iron City to overflow its banks.

The disaster was aggravated by massive rainwater collected by various drainages caused by erosion between Amanfrom Town and the main Kasoa-Accra trunk road.

Mr Kweku Obeng-Mensah, Chairman of Iron City-based Central Mechanic and Spare Parts Dealers Association (CMSPDA), disclosed these after he and other executive members of the association had jointly led Mr Francis Attoh Doughan, Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) round the affected houses.

Mr Bartholomew K. Nketsiah, District officer of the Ghana National Fire Service accompanied Mr Doughan on the inspection. Mr Obeng-Mensah on behalf of the association appealed to the Ministry of Roads and Transport to construct a bigger gutter to link the Amanfrom-Junction Clinic and River Okrudu at the outskirt of Kasoa on the main Kasoa-Accra road.

Mr Obeng-Mensah was optimistic that when the proposed drainage is constructed, the problem would be solved.

At an executive meeting later, it came to light that houses had been built on waterways and that had contributed to the periodical flooding of the area. It also came out that the plots on which these build stand were illegally acquired through land guards.

Addressing them, Mr Doughan, cautioned developers in the Kasoa area to stop building houses in unauthorized places, since they would not be spared during natural disasters like floods.

Mr Doughan however, assured flood victims in and around Iron City that their request would be forwarded to the appropriate quarters for consideration.

Mr Nketsiah, therefore, advised residents to ensure prudent use of fire and electrical gadgets to protect themselves and their properties against fire disasters.

Mr Nketsiah stressed the need for prospective developers to always engage the services of qualified technician to handle their electrical works for them, and to have fire extinguishers in their houses.