Heavy rains hit Ghana, killing at least 12 in floods

At least 12 people have died after torrential rains flooded large parts of Ghana, including the capital Accra, the Ghana National Fire Service ⁠said on Tuesday, with rescue ⁠operations still under way.

The fire service said three of the victims were women, eight were men and one was ⁠a child. More than 470 people have been rescued so far, it added, saying the service would issue updates as more casualties are confirmed.

Preliminary data showed about 140 millimetres of rain had fallen on Accra, President John Dramani Mahama said, adding it was the highest rainfall recorded in years. He said the highest single-day rainfall ⁠recorded ⁠last year was around 56 millimetres.

The scale of rainfall was driven by changing climate conditions, Mahama said, adding it was beyond the government’s control.

Accra floods regularly during the rainy season, with poor drainage, unauthorised construction on waterways and inadequate urban planning routinely cited as worsening the impact ⁠of heavy rains.

In a statement on Tuesday, the government spokesperson said 300 million cedis ($27 million) would be released for flood relief efforts.

Mahama also ordered the deployment of Ghana Armed Forces and police personnel to support the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other ⁠security ‌services ‌in rescue and relief operations across the ⁠capital.

Neighbouring Ivory Coast ‌has also been hit by heavy rains. The country’s authorities didn’t provide a death ⁠toll, but a source close to ⁠firefighters and the interior minister said it was around ⁠20.