Photo Report: Residents Displaced After Heavy Rains In Accra

Dozens of residents at Odawna in Accra were displaced after a torrential downpour at wrecked havoc at their places of abode.

The Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korley constituency which includes the Odawna area, Dr Zanetor Rawlings said some families who were trapped around Adabraka-Sahara had to be rescued.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday dawn, Dr. Rawlings said the flood water was still around waist level.

“Odawna and parts of Adabraka are flooded. I got to Odawna around 11pm and after waiting unsuccessfully for rescue support, we evacuated the women and children and some of the elderly to Ernest Bruce Memorial Methodist Church and Pentecost Church in Adabraka. This was with the tireless efforts of volunteers in the area including a gentleman who made several trips with his trotro from Sahara to the safe havens.”

“We worked together to bring blankets, hot chocolate and tea and some mosquito coils to those displaced. I would like to thank those young men and women who helped us distribute the hot drinks and blankets, as well as those who helped us write done the names of as many displaced persons as possible. I would like to thanks the security and pastoral staff at the two premises who granted access to their premises for the night. It's now 3:50am. I just left Odawna and Sahara park is still submerged below water that is waist deep. This is to say “Anyekoo!” to the kind hearted people who volunteered tonight in spite of the heavy rains!!! God bless you!!!! Your kindness and efforts made a difference!!!! You are true heroes!” she said.

Many other parts of the capital, Accra was badly affected by the Monday night downpour.

Some residents were trapped in their homes as rushing rainwater had taken over their rooms.

Although many properties were destroyed no life has been reported lost.

Some areas badly affected by the downpour include Okponglo, Shiashie, Weija, Old barrier, Ofankor, Dansoman, and Kaneshie.

The Odaw river, which almost all the time overflows its banks during a downpour has been dredged to allow water to flow freely whenever it rains but that does not seem to have worked.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Meteorological Agency has warned that there will be heavy rainfall this year, especially in the Southern sector.

The Director of Research at the Ghana Metrological Agency, Mr Charles Kweku York, said that this year's rains would be greater than what was recorded in 2017.

Mr York said the rains are expected to continue till July.

“The forecast for the northern part of the country is not available, but for the southern half, we are going to have normal to above normal rainfall, we are going to heavy downpours. So if we don't do our things right we are going to have floods when our draining systems are all chocked. With the storms, it could rain for between 30 to 45 minutes and it's over but it's going to be very busy. And we are going to have rainy days, good rainfall days,” he said.

“The forecast for 2018 is going to be above normal rainfall, for most places in the southern parts of the country. We are going to have a relatively [early] onset and [late] cessation and that is going to give us a long rainy season for 2018. And we don't envisage having long dry spells in between rainfall events and that is going to have a negative implication on our farming activity. The southern parts are from the Brong Ahafo Region to the coastal regions.”