Akyem Church Disaster: Body Of Baby Girl Recovered

The body of a two-year-old baby girl has been recovered in the rubble of the church building that collapsed in Akyem Batabi in the Asene Manso Akroso District of the Eastern Region.

She was among the latest of the 22 fatalities.

“We discovered a body, the body of a baby girl who is estimated to be about two years old,” the Director for Inspectorate Division at the National Disaster Management Organisation, Richard Amo-Yartey, said to the press on Friday, October 23, 2020.

Two vehicles that had been crushed were also uncovered as the rescue efforts entered the fourth day.

The rescuers have halted the use of machinery in rescue efforts early on Friday morning and started a mop-up, according to Mr. Amo-Yartey.

“At about 1:30 am we ended the search and rescue… We have stopped the use of machines and have introduced sniffer dogs and have sniffed around to see if there are traces of anybody.”

So far, 30 persons have been retrieved, eight of which were alive.

Of the dead persons, 12 were female and 10 were males.

The three-storey building which served as a structure for the Church of Prosperity collapsed around 2 pm on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.

Earlier reports suggested that over 60 persons were in the building before the collapse.

Personnel from the 48 Engineers Regiment, NADMO, Fire Service, Ambulance Service the Ghana Police Service have been at the centre of rescue operations at the site.

The Ghana Air Force provided the sniffer dogs currently being used to help find survivors.

Rescuers have said they do not know how many people were in the church at the time of the collapse.