Farmers and residents living along the waterways of the White Volta in the North East Region are rushing to salvage their farm produce, as part of preparations to evacuate to safety ahead of the spillage of the Bagre dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso.

The annual opening of the dam, which often coincides with heavy rains, always leaves a devastating trail of destruction in about 185 communities within the SADA zone, with an estimated population of 200,000 constantly at risk.

The spillage last year caused the death of 13 people and destroyed several hectares of farm crops and other properties across the North East region.

Ahead of the exercise on Friday, as announced by operators of the Bagre Dam, some farmers in the West Mamprusi and Mamprugu Moaduri districts are already bearing the brunt of weeks of heavy rains in the region.

The farmers say they are preparing for the worse as they complain about no assistance from the national disaster management organization to help them evacuate.

There is more in the following report.