By Michael Foli Jackidy
Tokor (V/R), Feb. 28, GNA – A total of 519 people from 101 households in three communities of the Ketu South Municipality have been displaced by devastating tidal waves, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has confirmed.
According to NADMO, the hardest-hit community is Agavedzi, where 21 households have been completely destroyed, affecting 129 residents.
Other affected communities include Salakope, with 31 households and 172 residents displaced; and Amutinu, where 49 households were partially affected, impacting 318 people.
Mr. Pascal Agbagba, the Volta Regional Director of Operations at NADMO, disclosed these figures during a crisis meeting attended at the Ketu South Municipal Assembly at Tokor on Friday, February 28, 2025.
The meeting was attended by Mr. James Gunu, the Volta Regional Minister, heads of security agencies, NADMO officials from the national office, representatives from the Ketu South Assembly, and the Assembly Member for Salakope-Amutinu.
The meeting aimed to assess the extent of the destruction and coordinate immediate relief efforts for affected residents.
During the meeting, Mr. Gunu stressed the urgent need for immediate relief and long-term coastal protection measures to safeguard the lives and properties of affected residents.
“We must act quickly to provide shelter and relief to those displaced. Many homes have been washed away, cemeteries have disappeared, and the psychological trauma suffered by residents—especially children and women—is severe,” he emphasised.
The Minister further noted that the tidal waves have breached the main road, which now serves as the only barrier against the encroaching sea.
“If urgent action is not taken, and the sea continues to advance beyond the road, the level of devastation will be unimaginable,” he warned.
He called on the government to accelerate coastal protection projects to prevent future disasters and ensure the safety of communities along the coastline.
To provide temporary relief, Mr. Daniel Kwaku Denteh, the outgoing Deputy Director-General of NADMO, announced the delivery of essential supplies to affected families.
The relief package includes: 250 bags of rice (25kg each), 50 cartons of cooking oil, 100 cartons of soap, 1,000 mosquito nets, 30 cartons of mosquito coils, 500 blankets, 20 cartons of used clothing, 1,000 plastic cups, 500 plastic plates, 500 plastic buckets, 200 plastic basins.
Mr. Denteh assured the residents that additional relief items would be delivered as soon as more resources became available.
While expressing gratitude for the relief items, the affected residents urged the government to take long-term measures to protect their communities from recurring tidal waves.
Many residents fear that without a permanent coastal defense system, such disasters will continue to destroy homes, livelihoods, and farmlands, leaving them in a constant state of vulnerability.
The government, through NADMO and other agencies, is expected to engage stakeholders and explore sustainable solutions to mitigate the impact of coastal erosion and tidal waves in Ketu South and other affected areas.
GNA