Ghana – Floods Hit Accra and Ashanti Region

by in Africa, News

Parts of Accra, capital of Ghana, were once again under water after a period of heavy rain caused urban flooding in the city on 28 October, 2019.

A bridge collapsed in Agbogba in the north of the city. Flood waters closed part of the Accra-Tema Motorway. As ever, locals complained about the poor state of the city’s drainage infrastructure.

With more rain expected, Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) warned people living in flood prone areas to evacuate and relocate to higher grounds.

In Ghana’s Ashanti Region, at least 12 children have died in flood waters since flooding began there in September, according to local media.

Many of the children drowned while making their way to or from school during periods of heavy rain. Regional Director of NADMO, Mr Kwabena Nsenkyire, said a better understanding of the dangers of floods is required and stressed the importance of children learning to swim. He said under no circumstance should pupils be left unattended to during heavy rains.

Recent heavy caused further flooding in the region. On 28 October a bridge in Asante Akim North District was completely destroyed.

Ghana’s Upper East region saw devastating floods earlier this month where as many as 29 people were reported killed.

Ghana saw a spate of floods from March to June this year, including in Accra and Ashanti and Western Regions.

Long-term heavy rainfall combined with water releases from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, caused severe flooding in northern Ghana in September 2018, when over 30 people died and 100,000 were displaced in Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions.

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