Authorities of SONABEL, managers of the Bagre and Kompienga dams in Burkina Faso have announced the spillage of both dams.
The spillage expected to have commenced on Wednesday, August 5, to Monday, August 10 according to a statement from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has become necessary because the water in the dams had reached maximum levels.
The statement signed by the Director-General of NADMO, Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh urged residents of the regions up north to take precautionary measures and move to higher grounds due to possible flooding.
“The current levels of the Kompiengu dams, as of August 5, 2020, is 172.41m with the rate of rise at 38.45% as against 28.66% same period last year. The levels of the Bagre Dams as of today being 234.62m with its rate of rise at 94.42% as against 60.58% same period last year. Due to the rapid rise in the water level of the Bagre Dam, the opening of the dam valves may be effected as soon as the level reaches 234.75m and that may happen any day between 5th August 2020 and Monday 10th August 2020.”
“Due to the possible effect of the spillage of the two dams in areas downstream the White Volta, some communities along the river are likely to be affected, as in flooding and NADMO will want such communities to be on the alter and prepare themselves for the spillage and its impact on them and their activities. We urge them to move to higher grounds and safe havens in all such affected communities”.
The management of NADMO has thus launched “Operation ThunderBolt 2020” with immediate effect to help manage the issue.
“NADMO has thus dispatched its men to the following districts in the affected regions to prepare the people in the area and to train them to manage the effect of the spillage on their communities,” the statement.