Heavy rains have caused the death of five people in South Sissala area of the Wa East District, three of the deaths at Funsi and two at Kundungu. The rains have also caused considerable destruction to property, food crops and road infrastructure, making it difficult for lorries to ply the main road linking Funsi, the district capital to its regional capital, Wa. Two children, Safiyuo Abudu, 4, and Mahama Abudu, eight months died at Funsi when their thatched house in which they were sleeping with their parents collapsed on them following a heavy downpour on Thursday night. Their father, Abudu Dagbasi and mother, Asana Abudu sustained injuries and were rushed to the Wa Regional Hospital for treatment but Dagbasi died on Sunday. However, Madam Abudu who was conveyed to the hospital by the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr. George Hikah Benson is said to be responding to treatment. A family member told Mr. Benson that the incident happened at about 1430 hours on Saturday and when they were sending Dagbasi to the Wa Hospital, they had to spend several hours for the flooded Fuobibal River to subside. Mr. Benson and his Deputy, Mrs Winifred Asibi Dy-Yakah, the Regional Police Commander, Mr. Robert Ayalango and National Disaster Management Organisation officials went to Funsi to sympathise with the people and also assess the level of destruction there. Several houses had collapsed in the community and it is feared more of them would collapse if the rains continued. Some farmers had not been able to go to their farms because of floods. Food crops are submerged in water, a situation suggesting a potential looming hunger in the near future. Most farmers in the area are disappointed because of the protracted drought that hit the Northern Regions this year, resulting in late cropping and the subsequent heavy rains, destroying the withering crops. At Kundungu, a Junior Secondary School student, Master Fatwu Dumbie died when a building collapsed on him on Saturday while one Nurideen got drowned last week. Mr. Benson urged the people to always maintain their buildings properly by using local plastering materials to prevent them from falling during the rainy seasons. He advised them to weed round their houses to allow water to flow. Most thatched houses in the community have their foundations water-logged. Relief items consisting of bundles of roofing sheets, cement and bags of maize were presented to the victims. Source: GNA