The rains are coming...

The Meteorological Service Department has warned of heavy storms this year. Already, there've been reports of rainstorms causing havoc in many parts of the country.

Last week the rains in Accra left one dead and deaths have been reported elsewhere. It is a perennial affair which once the season is over, we also tend to forget that we have to prepare for the next season. Any surprise that we are often caught unprepared?

The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has its work cut out for it and must not waste time in putting out the necessary public education out on how to mitigate what would no doubt be a season of natural disasters. The waterways continue to be built on and indiscriminate dumping of refuse continues to block and clog gutters. There's not much therefore that can be done to stop the inevitable.

What can be done is to at least warn people about the dangers and hazards that confront them and how to avoid them. We also hope that NADMO and the “Meteo” people would co-ordinate their efforts to give timely weather warnings for people to be on the alert.

We love our rains, but as we welcome them, we must also be careful.