The rainstorm observed over southern Togo that drifted westward and affected areas in southern Ghana on Wednesday left several locations flooded.
The affected areas include Aflao, Keta, Anloga, Ho, Akatsi, Somanya, Tema, Accra, Koforidua, and Begoro.
In several videos shared on X, citizens documented the harrowing experiences they encounter whenever there is a relatively heavy rainstorm.
As a result, individuals were left stranded as portions of the roads were submerged by water, and vehicles were broken down in the middle of the street.
A recent video shows that animals were not spared from the downpour. A helpless cow was carried by flood waters at Achimota. It is unknown if the livestock managed to survive or not as well as its current location.
A rainfall, thunder and lightning strike which occurred in Kowie, a community located in the Sissala East Municipality has claimed the lives of 21 cows, leaving residents in shock and devastation.
The thunderstorms took place at about 0020hrs where the kraal of cattle gathered under a tree in the community.
When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) got to the community after the incident, the cows were found dead and uniquely arranged around a tree except for two of them that survived the thunderstorm.
Mr Thomas Tipuri, a community member, said 16 of the cattle belonged to a herdsman whom he did not name and had been settled in the community whilst five belonged to him.
He said some traditional priests were immediately called in to perform some rituals before the carcasses were taken away.
He said the families of the owners of the cattle were sad and pained over the loss.
Mr Yakubu Abu, who also hailed from the community, expressed shock at the calamity saying, “This has never happened in the community.”
He said lightning is known to strike tall objects such as trees or poles, but it is possible that the lightning struck a nearby object and then travelled through the ground and affected the cows.
“If you are caught outside during a storm, it is important to avoid sheltering under trees or other tall objects and to seek shelter in a low-lying area if possible”, Madam Francesca Martey of the Ghana Meteorological Authority advised.
On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, the Upper East Region will no longer be subject to a prohibition on the transportation of ruminants and donkeys, as well as the slaughter, sale, and consumption of meat and animal products.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture stated this in a press release.
In the Binduri district of the Region, the Ministry on May 31, 2023, put a prohibition on the movement of ruminants and donkeys, butchering, and sale among other things in response to complaints and verified instances of anthrax.
The Ministry asserted that the problem has subsequently been under control and that the prohibition has been lifted because there have been no cases of the sickness reported after June 14, 2023.
“On 31st May 2023, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture imposed a ban on the movement of ruminants and donkeys, slaughtering, sale, and consumption of meat and meat products in the Binduri district of the Upper East Region. This followed reports and confirmed cases of anthrax, an acute bacteria disease transferable from animals to humans.”
“The situation has since been contained with no recorded case of the disease since 14th June 2023. In view of the above, and based on expert advice, the ban on the movement of ruminants and donkeys, slaughtering, sale, and consumption of meat and meat products in the Upper East Region is hereby lifted effective Tuesday, 11th July 2023,” the Ministry of Agric stated in its statement.
Despite the restriction, the Ministry stated that tight procedures would still be implemented to make sure that animal slaughter was carried out under the careful observation of veterinary inspectors.
“Notwithstanding this directive, the following measures will apply and be strictly enforced: the slaughter of all animals should be under close supervision of the veterinary and environmental health officers at designated abattoirs and slaughter slabs; food vendors/ restaurants and owners/butchers will be arrested and prosecuted for the sale of meat and meat products of animals whose slaughtering was not supervised by the veterinary or environmental health officers; all dead animals should be promptly reported to veterinary or environmental health officers as well as people in authority for immediate investigation; at all costs, the public is advised to desist from eating the meat of animals found dead,” the Ministry of Food and Agriculture mentioned.
Following an outbreak of anthrax in the Upper East Region, over 150,000 livestock have been successfully vaccinated as a preventive measure.
To contain the spread of the disease, a temporary ban on the movement of ruminants, including goats, sheep, pigs, cattle, and dogs, was implemented in the affected region’s eastern corridor.
The Risk Communications Manager at the Ghana Veterinary Service, Dr. Benjamin Kissi Sasu, confirmed that the situation has been effectively brought under control.
The vaccination campaign has played a crucial role in mitigating the outbreak and safeguarding the livestock population in the region.
“A total of 1,243,000 animals have been vaccinated in the Upper East Region. So far, so good. Looking at the data and the participation of the community, the various districts have now cooperated, and we have had a good number of animal vaccinations ongoing. Currently, we are not seeing any signs [of anthrax], and we hope it will keep up. So yes, we have been able to contain it in that way,” Dr. Benjamin Kissi Sasu assured.
The Regional Health Directorate issued a press release on June 1, 2023, confirming the notification of two suspected cases of anthrax, one of which resulted in a fatality, in the Binduri District. The cases were reported after individuals consumed the meat of dead cattle.
The incident involved the death of four cattle within the affected community. Furthermore, eleven additional suspected cases were identified, prompting the initiation of contact tracing measures in the community. The Regional Health Directorate is actively responding to the situation to contain any potential spread of the disease and provide necessary support to those affected.
Approximately 18,000 cattle have died in an explosion and subsequent fire at the South Fork Dairy Farm in Dimmit, Texas, per The New York Times.
Emergency responders arrived at the facility on Monday at around 7 p.m. local time and found the fire engulfed in flames that left a big plume of smoke rising to the sky. One employee of the farm was trapped inside the milking parlor and was recovered by firefighters who took her to a hospital in critical condition. She is still being treated for her injuries as of Thursday.
“The Southfork Dairy Farms in Castro County had one female agricultural worker trapped inside a building after the explosion and fire on Monday,” said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a statement. “She is being treated at UMC hospital in Lubbock. Our prayers and our best hopes go out to her and her loved ones. While devastating, I’m grateful that there were no further injuries to Ag workers or any loss of human life.”Â
It is estimated that 18,000 or so cattle died in the incident, which would make it the deadliest barn fire for cattle in the history of Texas. “The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and we all want to know what the facts are. There are lessons to be learned and the impact of this fire may influence the immediate area and the industry itself,” said Miller, who noted the cleanup and investigation could take a while. “Once we know the cause and the facts surrounding this tragedy, we will make sure the public is fully informed – so tragedies like this can be avoided in the future.”
While the exact number of dead cattle hasn’t been released, it’s still the largest loss of cattle life across the United States in at least two decades, per the Animal Welfare Institute. The most recent mass death of cattle in Texas was in 2016 when a blizzard took the lives of over 35,000 cows.Â
