Wassa Amenfi West: Over 24 Buildings Collapse as Floods Ravage Samreboi and Asankragwa

Heavy rainfall in the Western Region has triggered devastating floods in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality, leading to the collapse of more than 24 buildings and the widespread displacement of residents. The disaster, which primarily affected the communities of Samreboi and Asankragwa, occurred after the Samre and Tano rivers overflowed their banks following days of torrential downpours. While property damage has been catastrophic, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has confirmed that no lives were lost in the incidents, though the humanitarian impact remains severe.

According to Elvis Koffie, the NADMO Municipal Director for Wassa Amenfi West, the scale of the destruction is significant, with homes, farmlands, and vital roads submerged under floodwaters. Aerial views of Samreboi reveal a community struggling to cope as the overflowing Samre river continues to complicate recovery efforts. Many families have been left stranded, forced to watch as their properties and livelihoods are swept away by the rising currents. NADMO has since moved swiftly to relocate the most vulnerable residents to safe shelters and temporary holding centers while assessments continue.

The response to the crisis is currently a joint effort between NADMO and the Municipal Assembly, with teams on the ground conducting rigorous assessments of the damage to inform relief distribution. Mr. Koffie emphasized that while immediate safety has been prioritized, the ongoing monitoring of river levels remains critical to preventing further casualties. The flooding has also paralyzed local transport, making it difficult for aid to reach some of the more remote pockets of the municipality where residents are still grappling with the immediate aftermath of the building collapses.

Residents in the affected areas are now calling on the central government and humanitarian agencies for urgent interventions. The immediate needs include food, clean drinking water, and bedding for those who have lost everything in the disaster. Beyond the immediate crisis, there is a collective demand for long-term infrastructural solutions and flood control strategies, such as the dredging of the Samre and Tano rivers, to mitigate the perennial threat of flooding that haunts these communities during the rainy season.