Floods paralyze Ghana capital, kill three

ACCRA

Torrential rains sparked flooding across Accra on June 29, killing at least three people, authorities and local media reported.

Flooding is common during Ghana’s rainy season, but residents say inundations in the capital have become worse in recent years due to rapid urbanization, the building on and blocking of waterways and a lack of investment in drainage infrastructure.

Some 140 millimeters of rain fell on the city in a single day, “the highest experienced in several years” and nearly triple last year’s high, President John Mahama said.

“That aspect of the problem is beyond our control because it is driven by changing climatic conditions,” he said on X.

But he also warned of “the issue of human behavior.”

“Whenever government begins removing structures built in waterways, some people accuse us of being inhumane,” he said. “Yet when disasters such as today’s flooding occur, the consequences affect everyone.”

Local authorities said the body of a man in his 60s was recovered from the low-lying Alajo district, where floodwaters also damaged vehicles and homes.

Meanwhile, journalists in the neighborhood reported two more people killed from rising waters coming into contact with electrical wiring in their home.

The Ministry of the Interior urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel as the police, military and firefighters were dispatched to assist rescue operations.