Former president John Mahama has commiserated with the families of the victims of the Kintampo Waterfalls tragedy.
Nineteen persons died in the fatal incident after hilltop trees crashed on them following heavy rains on Sunday. The victims were mostly students from the Wenchi Senior High School.
Mahama took to Twitter to console the bereaved families:
Very sad news of tragic deaths at the Kintampo waterfalls. Sincerest condolences to families of the victims. #Kintampodisaster.
— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) March 20, 2017
The Ghana National Fire Service and the Police including other disaster management officials went through torrid period to rescue trapped revelers.
“A huge tree fell at the top when the rains began and crashed the revelers,” an eyewitness told Starr News. “So far we have counted 19 people. Most of them are students of the Wenchi Senior High School. Others are tourists.”
About 22 others are receiving treatment at the Kintampo Government Hospital.
“We extend our condolences to the families of the dead and pray for the injured,” tourism minister Catherine Abelema Afeku said in a statement.
The Kintampo Waterfalls is located on the Pumpum river, a tributary of the Black Volta, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Kintampo municipality, on the Kumasi-Tamale road.