All too soon, the rains are here with us again and Sunday’s downpour left a trail of destruction in its wake – as we have become accustomed to whenever the rainy season arrives.
Notably, the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET) says more heavy rainfall is expected across parts of the country and flooding remains a major risk.
The recent rainstorm triggered flooding in parts of the Greater Accra Region including Pantang, Nsawam, Lakeside and Kasoa.
Already, residents in flood-prone areas are being urged to consider relocating since the seasonal forecast predicted that the intensity may be higher and also in terms of frequency.
Despite the heavy sums of monies that municipal assemblies spend on dredging and desilting drains in and around the metropolis, we still find ourselves inundated with floods.
The nature of our open drains and the way all manner of waste is dumped into them ends up choking them and causing major flood havoc anytime the rains descend heavily.
The indiscriminate erection of buildings, kiosks and containers on waterways, irrespective of cautioning from Town Planning authorities, is partly responsible for the perennial flooding we experience every rainy season.
This year, not only has infrastructure already been damaged but some lives have been lost in addition – overwhelming rescue agencies like NADMO, the Fire Service etc.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Adentan Municipal Assembly, Ella Esiman Nongo, confirmed that three people lost their lives following torrential rains that triggered widespread flooding across parts of Accra on Sunday.
The flooding was caused by nearly three hours of continuous rainfall starting around 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, leaving many communities under water.
Roads were rendered impassable, vehicles were stranded and the Odaw River – which channels stormwater through central Accra – overflowed due to the sheer volume of water.
Stricter enforcement of building codes and urgent action to tackle the root causes of perennial flooding is needed now more than ever if we are going to be enabled in tackling this perennial menace.
