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The National Disaster  Management Organisation (NADMO) has dispatched a team from Accra to beef-up operations in the three northern regions and parts of Eastern Region ahead of the Bagre Dam spillage scheduled for tomorrow, August 23.

The team, “Operation Thunderbolt”, headed by Mr Abu Ramadan, Deputy Director-General in charge of Operations will pitch camp in Walewale and Zebilla to help affected people along the banks of both Black and White Volta Rivers in any rescue operations.

Mr Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, Director-General of NADMO, who announced this at the media launch of the “Operation Thunderbolt 2018”, said they have notice from Sonablel Authorities of Burkina Faso, Managers of the Bagre Dam, that with the rising trend in the volume of the water in the dam compared to same period last year, it has become imperative to do the spillage of the dam earlier than scheduled.

He said the scheduled date was the first week in September this year but as at yesterday, the message from the managers of the dam said the volume of water in the dam stood at 80 per cent compared to 50 per cent rise in the volume of water same period last year.

The Director-General urged all those living along the banks of the Black and White Volta to move along with their valuables to higher grounds for their safety, adding, “The NADMO Team will be on-hand to give you all the needed support to ensure the safety of your lives and valuables”.

Regions to be affected by the spillage are the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Northern Volta and Afram Plains in the Eastern Region.

Eleven districts will be affected in the Northern Region and these are: Karaga, East Gonja, Nanumba South, Tolon Kumbungu, Bole, West Gonja, Savelugu, Nanton, East Manprusi, Yendi, and West Mamprusi.

In Upper East Region, Bawku West, Binduri and Talensi districts will be affected, while in Upper West Region, Nandom, Lawra, Nadowli and Wa West districts will be affected.

 Nkwanta North, Krachi East, Krachi West and Krachi Nchumuru districts in the Northern Volta will be affected and Afram Plains North and Afram Plains South districts in the Eastern Region will also be affected.

Mr Agyemang-Prempeh said they are working in collaboration with the United Agencies, the 48 Engineer Regiment, the Police, Fire Service, Ambulance Service, the Hydro-Metrological Services, District Assemblies and the affected communities to help mitigate the effect of the spillage.

He said as a long term measure, NADMO has proposed to government to build mini dams along the way in the near future to collect the water for agricultural purposes during the dry season saying “this is a big project and we hope that when the country get the needed funds it will give it due consideration”.