At least 12 people have been confirmed dead while seven others remain missing after devastating floods swept through Greater Accra and other parts of Ghana following torrential rains on Monday, June 29.
Ghana's Interior Minister, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, announced the latest casualty figures in Parliament on Tuesday, saying search and rescue teams were still working in the worst-hit communities.
"I have been at the Finance Committee for the past three hours, and I do not know whether many more have been found, but as of this morning, it is still seven," the minister told Parliament, referring to those still unaccounted for.
He said the flooding affected 7,761 households, with 3,882 people directly impacted by the disaster.
Rescue and recovery operations
Emergency agencies, including the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Fire Service, remain on the ground carrying out search, rescue and recovery operations, as well as assessing damage and distributing relief to displaced residents.
The torrential rainfall has been described by authorities as one of the heaviest to hit Accra in recent years, according to the Ghana News Agency.
Entire communities, including Alajo, Adabraka, the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area, Kaneshie, Weija, Tse Addo, Ofankor, Pantang, Ashongman Estates and parts of the Tema Metropolis, were inundated as floodwaters submerged homes and businesses, stranded hundreds of motorists and forced the closure of major roads.
The flooding also displaced numerous families, disrupted transport services, damaged public infrastructure and interrupted academic activities, with some tertiary institutions suspending lectures and postponing examinations.
Economic impact
Monday's downpour brought economic activity across Accra to a standstill for several hours, with widespread flooding disrupting transport, businesses and essential services across the capital.
Mohammed-Mubarak extended the government's condolences to families who lost loved ones and assured Parliament that humanitarian assistance was already being deployed to affected communities.
"Mr. Speaker, government is coordinating interventions to support victims with emergency relief items while longer-term measures are being considered to mitigate the impact of recurring floods in the capital," the minister said.
Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant, stay away from flood-prone areas and comply with safety directives as recovery efforts continue.
