Awash River overflow destroys 60 mln. birr flower farm

30 August 2006

ADDIS ABABA - Flood caused by overflow of Awash River caused property damage valued at 60 million birr on Summit Agro Industry, a private company around Wonji area.

The flash flood that occurred around 11:00 a.m Monday fully damaged a flower farm on 24 hectares of land.

Owner of the farm, Michael Asress said senior government officials visited the farm shortly after the over flooding, adding that this shows the concern of the government towards investment activities.

Over one million rose cuts have also been damaged while over 1,200 workers on the farm became idle, Michael said.

Though, the company had been closely working with pertinent government offices in a bid to prevent flood in the area, the accident occurred unexpectedly and with a very huge magnitude.

Flood diversion activities are being undertaken aggressively with a view to preventing possible damages that might occur on the Wonji Sugar Factory due to over flow of the river, Ethiopian Television reported.

Factory Manager, Wondwossen Bekele said no damages have so far been inflicted on the factory.

Meanwhile, renovation of flood diversion walls is being carried out in a bid to prevent flood, due to release of water from Koka dam, on the sugar cane plantation of the factory.

Members of the Defence Force, the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA), employees of the factory are closely working to prevent flood in the area.

DPPA has dispatched some 8,000 sand bags to the area.

Close to 3,000 people residing in areas exposed to flood are relocated to safe areas, Wondwossen said.

The Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Defence, the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation along with administrative bodies in Awash basin areas are also closely working to prevent possible flooding, said representative of the Ministry of Water Resources.

Yohannes Zerihun said since releasing of water from the Koka dam is continuing, flood prevention activities should be further scaled up.

No human casualty has been reported due to overflow of the Awash River because of the release of water from Koka Dam, ETV reported.

(ENA)