At least 12 persons have been confirmed dead, and seven more are missing as a result of the disastrous floods that swept across Greater Accra and other parts of the country on Monday, June 29.
The numbers were revealed to Parliament in Accra on Tuesday during a report on the catastrophe by Interior Minister Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak.
He said: “Mr. Speaker, as of this morning, seven persons are still missing… and 12 people are dead.”
“I have been at the Finance Committee for the past three hours, and I do not know whether many more have been found, but as of this morning, it is still seven,” the Minister added.
The Minister stated that 3,882 persons were directly harmed by the floods, which affected 7,761 dwellings.
In the most severely affected districts, he said, search, rescue, and recovery activities were still being carried out by emergency organisations.
Authorities have called the heavy downpour as one of the worst to hit Accra in recent memory.
Alajo, Adabraka, the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area, Kaneshie, Weija, Tse Addo, Ofankor, Pantang, Ashongman Estates, and portions of the Tema Metropolis were among the communities that were submerged.
Major roads were closed, hundreds of drivers were trapped, and homes and businesses were swamped.
In addition, the floods damaged public infrastructure, delayed transportation, forced many families to leave their homes, and caused some postsecondary institutions to suspend lectures and postpone exams.
Alhaji Mohammed-Mubarak informed Parliament that humanitarian aid was being sent out right away and offered the government’s condolences to the families of the deceased.
The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, and other organisations, he claimed, were still present.
Rescue efforts, damage assessment, and helping displaced inhabitants are all part of their mandate.
“Mr. Speaker, government is coordinating interventions to support victims with emergency relief items while longer-term measures are being considered to mitigate the impact of recurring floods in the capital,” the Minister added.
As recovery efforts continue, authorities have asked locals to stay alert, stay away from flood-prone areas, and follow safety instructions.
Following several hours of heavy rain on Monday, economic activity in Accra was severely disrupted.
Source: newsthemegh.com