Accra’s flood crisis continues to deepen as another downpour leaves homes submerged, properties destroyed and residents fleeing for safety in parts of the capital.
In Kokroko, a community within the Weija-Gbawe Municipality, residents say poor drainage systems and unchecked development have turned every major rainfall into a recurring disaster.
Friday’s heavy rains did not only inundate homes but also wreaked havoc across affected communities, including Kokroko, where fence walls collapsed and electronic appliances were destroyed by floodwaters.
One apartment complex in the area was among the hardest hit.
When 3news’ reporter visited the community on May 25 to assess how residents were coping with the aftermath, occupants of the flooded apartment were seen digging holes beneath their rooms in an attempt to drain the accumulated water.
However, before they could recover from Friday’s destruction, another rainfall began.
What started as light droplets gradually intensified, once again inundating the community.
Residents say the only storm drain in the area, which is expected to channel huge volumes of water into the sea within minutes, overflowed its banks. The runoff quickly rushed back into homes, forcing residents to flee to safety for the second time this year.
Others who were away when the rains started hurried home to salvage whatever belongings they could.
The floodwaters rapidly spread through the community, submerging more homes and leaving many residents devastated.
Victims say they are traumatized by the constant flooding but lack the financial means to relocate.
“The rain disturbs us all the time. It floods our rooms and mattresses, making it very difficult for us to sleep. Sometimes, we have to remain standing until the following morning. We have lost all our belongings to the floods,” Priscilla, a resident, lamented.
Another resident added, “Money is our problem. If we had money, we would leave this place.”
For Rukaya and her family, the situation is no different.
“Monday’s rain was only light, so the water didn’t spread very far,” she said.
Flooding in Kokroko is not new.
Residents recall that the community experienced its first major flood disaster on June 3, 2015. Since then, subsequent downpours have continued to cause destruction in the area and surrounding communities.
Kokroko, like many flood-prone communities in Accra, sits on marshy terrain that has gradually been filled and developed by private individuals over the years.
The absence of proper drainage systems in the area also highlights persistent failures in spatial planning and enforcement of building regulations.
Other parts of Accra, including Sakaman and Darkuman Junction, also experienced flooding, while the Odaw River overflowed its banks after nearly one and a half hours of rainfall.
The Ghana Meteorological Agency has already warned of more rains this year, urging residents in flood-prone communities to move to higher grounds when necessary.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) is also advising residents living in low-lying areas to evacuate to safer locations during heavy rains.
But beyond the warnings, residents believe city authorities must take urgent action.
As victims count their losses and brace for more rains, the recurring floods continue to expose Accra’s weak drainage systems, uncontrolled development and poor spatial planning.
Without strict enforcement of building regulations, expansion of storm drains and sustained desilting exercises, communities like Kokroko may continue to relive the same devastation with every major downpour.
By Stanley Nii Blewu
