Heavy rains in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District of the Central Region have led to two separate drowning incidents, leaving one person dead and another missing.
The deceased, a 45-year-old man from Morkwa, reportedly went missing three days ago. Rescuers recovered his body from the Pra River on Monday, June 8.
On the same day, Alfred Kumi, a recent Junior High School graduate from Gomoa Ohua in the Gomoa West District, also went missing.
Reports indicate that Alfred entered the Osen River at Twifo Edugyaa to bathe but failed to return.
The teenager had travelled to Twifo Edugyaa to visit his father and seek financial support to continue his education after completing the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) last month.
Search teams are still looking for him.
The District Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), James Pra, confirmed the two incidents.
He said authorities had recovered one body while efforts continued to locate the missing student.
Mr. Pra also expressed concern about illegal sand winning activities along riverbanks. He warned that the practice creates dangerous conditions and increases the risk of drowning.
“They are setting traps for people to die in rivers,” he said.
The NADMO director appealed to regional and national authorities to provide life jackets and other rescue equipment to improve emergency response efforts.
He said access to such equipment would help rescue teams respond more effectively during emergencies, especially during the rainy season.
The incidents have renewed concerns about river safety and the dangers posed by rising water levels during periods of heavy rainfall.
