ACCRA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The Ghanaian government on Friday launched a national post-flood restoration and mitigation exercise to clean up communities affected by recent flooding triggered by torrential rains earlier in the week.
People participating in the operation, led by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), will carry out clean-up and restoration activities to improve sanitation, restore public safety and reduce the risk of public health threats, including potential outbreaks of waterborne diseases, according to a statement from Jubilee House, the Ghanaian presidency.
At a press briefing, GAF Joint Operations Director-General Forster Okae-Yeboah said the operation will deploy military personnel, engineers and heavy equipment to clear drains, rivers, streams and other waterways blocked by debris, silt, fallen trees and collapsed structures.
The capital Accra and several other regions were hit by severe flooding following heavy rains that began late Sunday and continued into Monday, disrupting transportation, communications and other essential services.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) confirmed late Thursday that the nationwide death toll from the floods had risen to 34.
"The death toll in Accra alone is 12, but 34 nationwide, and this could go up as we are in the process of authenticating reports from the other regions," NADMO Inspectorate Director Richard Amo Yartey told the media on Friday.
According to Yartey, seven regions across the country were affected by the floods, with 89,736 people displaced. In the capital, 54,712 people were affected, while 21,882 were displaced in the Central Region.
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday announced the release of contingency funds totaling 26.49 million U.S. dollars to finance urgent flood relief efforts. ■