Three people, including a child, have been confirmed dead following hours of heavy rainfall that triggered flash floods in parts of Accra on Sunday, May 18.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Adentan Municipal Assembly, Ella Esinam Nongo, confirmed the fatalities in an interview with Citi FM on May 19, 2025.
She revealed that the victims died in separate incidents within the municipality, according to a report by citinewsroom.com.
“In Lakeside, we lost two people, including a four-year-old girl at Nanakrom and a gentleman around New Legon,” she indicated.
The downpour, which began around 3:00 p.m. and lasted nearly three hours, led to widespread flooding across the capital.
Several roads were submerged, vehicles left stranded, and properties damaged. Communities worst hit included Weija, Kaneshie, Adabraka, Adenta-Dodowa, and parts of Tema.
The Odaw Drain, a major stormwater channel that cuts through central Accra, overflowed its banks due to the high volume of rainfall, further worsening the flooding situation in surrounding areas.
Emergency response teams were quickly deployed to affected locations.
Nongo confirmed that most residents stranded in the Ashiyie area were successfully rescued by Sunday night.
Nonetheless, the extent of the damage across various neighborhoods remains significant, and many residents in flood-prone areas continue to be at risk.
Speaking on the causes of the flooding, she cited poor drainage infrastructure and unregulated construction on waterways as major issues.
“Because people are building on waterways, there is no exit route for the water when it rains. That’s one of the main challenges we’re facing. There is a need for stricter enforcement of building regulations,” she said.
Nongo called for urgent government support and a renewed commitment to addressing the underlying structural and environmental factors behind Accra’s recurring floods.
She stressed the need for stricter enforcement of building regulations and comprehensive urban planning to prevent future disasters.
MRA/MA
After the heavy rains over the weekend, a lot of debris have been left across many parts of Accra. Watch some of the destructions below:
