More Than 3,000 Displaced as Flooding Hits Hohoe Communities

More than 3,000 people have been displaced after severe flooding swept through parts of the Hohoe Municipality in the Volta Region, leaving hundreds of homes damaged and families searching for safe places to stay.

The flooding followed heavy rainfall that caused the River Dayi to overflow its banks, sending water into communities along its path.

Hohoe Zongo has been among the hardest-hit areas, with residents reporting significant damage to homes, personal belongings and livelihoods.

More than 400 houses have reportedly been affected across the municipality, according to local authorities and reports from the area.

For families caught in the flooding, the situation developed quickly.

In Hohoe Zongo, residents described seeing water enter their compounds before rapidly spreading through surrounding areas. Some families managed to move to safer locations with a few belongings, while others had little time to save anything.

Ghana News Agency reported that more than 150 houses had been affected in the Tsevi/Adabrakra Electoral Area alone. The flooding also damaged buildings and destroyed property and livelihoods.

River Dayi overflows

The River Dayi has been identified as a major factor behind the flooding.

Heavy rainfall over the area caused water levels to rise, eventually pushing the river beyond its banks and into nearby communities.

The sudden rise in water left some residents scrambling to move their families and belongings to safer locations.

One resident, Sadia Seidu, told the Ghana News Agency that water initially began entering a nearby compound in relatively small quantities. As residents realised the danger, they started moving their belongings, but the situation quickly worsened, and much of what they owned could not be saved.

Another resident, Yussif Ali, said some people woke up to find floodwater already moving into their homes.

The accounts highlight how quickly the situation changed for families living in the affected communities.

Residents urged to stay away

Emergency officials have been working to assess the extent of the damage and determine the needs of affected households.

The Hohoe Municipal National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Director, Raphael Kumagah, said the organisation received information about the flooding of the River Dayi and deployed teams to assess the affected areas alongside personnel from the Ghana Ambulance Service and Ghana Fire Service.

NADMO is continuing to record the number of affected residents and has advised people who have evacuated their homes not to return until they are given clearance to do so.

Although floodwaters have started to recede in some parts of Hohoe, residents are still dealing with the damage left behind.

Many have been left to salvage whatever belongings they can recover while waiting for further assistance.

Calls for urgent support

The scale of the disaster has prompted calls for support from government agencies, organisations and individuals.

Hohoe Member of Parliament Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo has appealed for urgent assistance for affected residents, as local authorities deal with the number of people displaced by the flooding.

For families who have lost household items, damaged their homes or had their livelihoods disrupted, the immediate needs go beyond temporary shelter.

Food, clean water, clothing, household supplies and safe accommodation are likely to remain important as residents begin dealing with the aftermath.

The impact is also being felt by people whose livelihoods depend on daily economic activity. When homes, roads and other infrastructure are affected, traders and small businesses can lose income at a time when families are already facing the cost of recovering from the disaster.

The difficult road to recovery

Flooding in Hohoe is not only an emergency for the affected residents; it also raises questions about how vulnerable communities can be better protected during periods of heavy rainfall.

For displaced families, however, the immediate priority is getting through the crisis.

As the water recedes, residents will have to assess damaged homes, recover belongings and determine whether their properties are safe to occupy again.

Authorities will also have to assess damaged infrastructure and identify what support affected communities need to return to normal life.

The latest flooding has once again shown how quickly heavy rainfall and rising water levels can disrupt communities.

For more than 3,000 displaced residents in Hohoe, the focus now is on finding safe shelter, receiving emergency assistance, and beginning the difficult process of rebuilding what the floodwaters have taken away.