A comprehensive investigation by a team of seismologists and geoscientists from the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA), the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), and the Twifo Attimokwa District Assembly, has determined that the recent earth movement in Twifo-Mampong was as a result of a landslide.
The incident involved movement in the land on a steep hill with cocoa plantations following heavy rainfall on Thursday, June 29.
It was earlier reported that the incident was a caused by an earth tremor.
The GGSA confirmed that while residents in the area did not feel any ground shaking, several cocoa trees were destroyed due to the landslide.
In response to the findings, the Acting Director-General, Mr. Isaac Kuuwan Mwinbelle, assured farmers in the affected areas that they could resume their farming activities. However, caution was advised, urging them to stay away from such areas when there are signs of rainfall.
Previously, many farmers in the community had reported a suspected earth tremor, resulting in the destruction of large cocoa farms. The GGSA conducted the investigation to authenticate their claims and provide a clearer understanding of the situation.
“The Authority wishes to state that, monitoring records from our network of seismic stations located across the country did not record any major earth tremor event from the stations on the said date.
“However, minor earth disturbances recorded during the period did not have the potential to cause the impact that was recorded.
The geological materials observed at the site were highly weathered metasediments, which were saturated from the heavy downpour, resulting in the movement of materials in multiple locations along the slopes of the hill,” Mr Mwinbelle said.
The Acting Director-General emphasized the importance of enforcing proper land-use planning to prevent potential risks and instability in such areas. He strongly advised against infrastructural development on hill slopes, as they may lack stability.
To ensure public safety, the Acting Director-General further urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to effectively enforce land-use planning regulations. By doing so, they can mitigate the potential hazards associated with unsuitable development in vulnerable areas.