A residential apartment building collapsed on Sunday night following a devastating mudslide at Parishcoa, a suburb of Sekondi in the Western Region, leaving at least two families homeless and their belongings buried beneath tonnes of debris.
The one-storey structure, which sat precariously on an elevated slope, had shown signs of worrying structural distress days before the collapse as persistent and heavy rains weakened the surrounding earth.
Residents say the first warning signs emerged on Friday night when a loud cracking sound reverberated through the building.
“Around 9 p.m. on Friday, we heard a loud sound. When we went out to check, we noticed a serious crack running through the middle of the building. We initially thought it was something that could be handled the next day with some concrete work. Unfortunately, by the next day, the crack had become deeper and wider,” one of the affected residents recounted.
According to him, conditions worsened rapidly as heavy rains continued over the weekend. “By Saturday, when the rains started, almost half of the building had developed serious cracks. We saw signs that it could collapse, so some people started moving their belongings out. But the tenant downstairs couldn’t even rescue a single pan from his room. We left to find somewhere else to sleep, and throughout Sunday night parts of the building kept falling off here and there,” he said.
At approximately 9 p.m. on Sunday, the weakened structure finally gave way, sliding down the muddy hillside into a valley below. Fortunately, all occupants had evacuated before the collapse, and no injuries or fatalities were recorded.
While relieved to have escaped with their lives, the affected families now face the painful reality of losing nearly everything they owned. Household items, furniture, clothing, and other valuables remain trapped beneath the rubble.
The victims have also expressed frustration over what they describe as an inadequate emergency response. One resident alleged that although officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) visited the scene to assess the situation, no relief support had been provided as of Monday evening. “NADMO came to inspect the place, but since then we have not received any assistance. We have no food, no clothing, and no place to stay. We have lost everything,” the resident lamented.
The incident has heightened concerns over the vulnerability of hillside communities in Sekondi and other parts of the Western Region as the rainy season intensifies. Authorities say the area remains unstable and have advised residents living near slopes and embankments to remain vigilant.
Further assessments are expected to determine whether nearby structures have also been compromised by the continuing rains.
By Eric Yaw Adjei
