Heavy rains on Saturday ushered in the month of October, causing floods that destroyed property and disrupted many outdoor events, especially weddings and funerals.
The intermittent downpour which started at dawn in Accra restricted movement and caused vehicular traffic especially, delaying many planned ceremonies.
Vehicles and commuters waded through heavy floods to get to their destinations while some drivers had to park their vehicles on the shoulders of roads due to poor visibility.
Pictures posted on social media showed how seats and tables arranged at some open air events grounds had been abandoned while guests sought cover in nearby facilities.
Determined to go through their events as planned, some hosts and their guests resorted to the use of umbrellas, and in addition, hurried through the activities for the ceremonies.
Throughout last week, heavy rains have been lashing some districts across the country including Accra, Kumasi and its surrounding areas and parts of the Eastern Region.
In Kumasi, the wares of hundreds of traders in the Kumasi Central Market were destroyed in Wednesday’s flooding which has been blamed on the contractors of the Kejetia Redevelopment Project.
The traders accused them of blocking a sewage system at the construction site, leading to the floods although the contractors have denied being responsible for the situation.
Joynews reported that 20 per cent part of the central market space yet to be demolished for the market redevelopment project got flooded, destroying wares worth millions of cedis.
Consultant in charge of the project Emmanuel Danso said they only took measures to gather the debris in the gutters that are connected to the Subin stream at the market.
At least three persons reportedly died in floods in the Ashanti Region; specifically at Oduom-Bebre, Asokwa and Subin.
That same Wednesday in Kyebi in Akyem Abuakwa area of the Eastern Region, heavy rains caused the Birim River to overflow its banks and caused flooding in the area, thereby hindering vehicular movement.
Some vehicles which were in motion ahead of the rains and those that were trying to meander their way through the waters were partially submerged, likewise other structures.
It was reported that it is the first time in over five decades that Kyebi had experienced severe flooding of its kind with the impact of illegal mining on the Birim River being blamed for the scale of flooding.
In a social media post on Saturday, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi said the Akokoaso community was not spared by the rains this week.
“Floods this week took a life, washed away some trading stalls, roads and oil palm processing plants in the Akokoaso”, he said after visiting the scenes and commiserating with the victim’s family.
Meanwhile the Ghana Meteorological Agency has cautioned Ghanaians to expect more rains and be cautious in flood-prone areas.
BY JONATHAN DONKOR
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