By Richard Benjamin
At least 12 people have died and hundreds have been displaced after torrential rains triggered severe flooding across Ghana’s capital, Accra, and surrounding communities, with emergency responders warning that the death toll could rise.
The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) said on Tuesday that the victims comprised eight men, three women and one child. Among those killed were a mother and her child, who were swept away by floodwaters in the Achimota-Agbogbloshie area. While the GNFS confirmed 12 deaths, some media reports placed the toll at 13.
GNFS spokesperson Alex King Nartey said more than 470 people had been rescued from flooded homes and stranded vehicles as emergency workers continued search-and-rescue operations and pumped water from inundated buildings.
The downpour, which reportedly dumped about 140 millimetres of rain in parts of Accra, submerged major roads and inundated several communities, including Spintex and Adabraka, leaving hundreds of homes damaged and forcing many residents to flee. Initial assessments indicate that thousands of people have been affected by the floods.
The flooding also sparked a fire at a rubber factory, further stretching emergency response efforts.
President John Dramani Mahama conducted an aerial assessment of the affected areas and approved the release of GH¢350 million from the country’s Contingency Fund to support relief and recovery efforts. He also directed relevant agencies to intensify drainage clearance and other flood mitigation measures.
The Ghana Meteorological Agency has forecast further heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, prompting authorities to advise residents in flood-prone areas to relocate to safer locations and avoid travelling through flooded roads.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other emergency agencies are continuing damage assessments and distributing relief materials to affected communities as rescue operations remain underway.
