Angry Waves Fight Coastal Communities

Tidal waves swept along the shores of fishing communities in the Central region on Saturday night claiming one life and destroying about 32 boats.

Kofi Mensah, 52 a fisherman in Cape Coast is suspected to to have drown in efforts at salvaging some of the fishing gear being destroyed by the angry waves. Kwasi Baafi a brother of the lost fisherman said he believed he was dead. \"He fell into sea as we tried to send some of the boats to Elmina and we have since not found him. It's likely he's dead,\" he added.

The boats were smashed into pieces of logs by high tidal waves on Saturday night. Fishing nets have also been washed away. Many other boats have been damaged. A few fishermen also sustained minor degrees of injuries as they retrieve what was left of their gears.

Fishermen told media men that ravaging waves swept across some fishing communities causing massive destruction to their fishing gears. Affected Communities The affected fishing communities include Saltpond, Anomabo, Kormantse Abandze and Cape Coast. Affected fishermen said their livelihoods have been seriously affected and need urgent support to go back to work.

At Nankesdo in Saltpond, Nana Kobina Kum, a boat owner said his boat was affected said fishermen were alerted around 10pm on Saturday about the rampaging waves and the destruction it have caused to their gears. We rushed here to seen some of the boat split into several parts. Some have also sunk into the sea.

The Worse Seen

They observed that the destruction was the worse in recent times. \"This has happened before but the intensity of Saturday incident was the worse we have seen. Kobina Kum said the fishermen were beginning to get some good catches saying the incident was unfortunate.

Breakwater

The fishermen appealed to the Ministry of Fisheries to construct breakwater along the beaches to safeguard their gears against such incidents. They also called for support to get back into business. Tidal waves along the beaches are becoming stronger and more destruction as negative environmental practices including sand winning continue along the beaches.

Fishery experts have several warned against sand winning and other practices saying it could have disastrous consequences on fishermen and fishing communities along the coast.

Negatives sand winning activities continue in many coastal communities. Huge men in huge tracks defy laws and win sand along the beaches.

For these behaviours and many others related to the big issue of climate change the waves are angry and ready to kill and destroy.

Beware.