An urgent search has been launched to find a six-year-old boy who is feared drowned when heavy rains triggered flash floods in the Asokwa Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
Kelvin Boakye, was seen playing with his friends, at their Atonsu Monaco residence at about 17:00 p.m., Monday until the incident happened.
It is believed he may have been carried away by floodwaters when he attempted to pick his sandals from a drain.
A joint team of personnel from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the Ghana National Fire Service was deployed to vantage areas, including the Susan River –which had burst its banks after torrential rains – to find him.
“It happened on Monday, so I sent my team there. So they went to search for him, but he is yet to found”, said Joseph Koomson, a Director in charge of Operations at the NADMO in the Asokwa Municipality. “We are in touch with the Ghana National Fire Service in this operation.”
Little Kelvin is a KG 1 pupil of B-Life Preparatory School, located at Atonsu Monaco. School authorities have already visited his parents to wish them well.
His teacher, Sir Smith Opoku Boateng said: “I came to school this morning [Tuesday] when our headmaster broke the news to us. He likes playing football and he’s loved by his classmates. We are here to wish the family well as the search continues, we are hopeful that he would be found.”
Traditional leaders at Atonsu have already performed rituals as effort to find the child enters nearly 72 hours. His 26-year-old mother, Abena Konadu is devastated.
“I went to buy some foodstuffs in town. When I reached home, I heard loud noises in our neighbourhood. People appeared calling their children [because of what had happened] so I tried to enquire. I was told a child had been carried away by the floodwaters when the rain struck while attempting to pick his sandals. So I also started searching for my two children only to be told the victim was my six-year-old boy”, narrated Konadu amid tears.
“I know my child is not dead, he will definitely be found, but for now I leave everything in God’s hands”, she said.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH