Heavy flooding in Accra this morning has resulted in floodwaters sweeping goods from an unknown warehouse into nearby gutters and streets, with residents descending on the scene to collect provisions, toiletries, gas cylinders, and electrical gadgets as they were carried along by the rushing water.
The footage at our disposal shows two contrasting but equally alarming scenes, in the first, crowds of residents are seen scrambling over scattered goods strewn across floodwater and debris, with packages of provisions and other items clearly visible among the wreckage.
In the second clip, what appears to be a major road has been entirely converted into a fast-moving brown river, with debris floating rapidly along its surface and industrial buildings flanking either side.
The warehouse from which the goods originated had not been officially identified at the time of publication. The value of goods lost in the flooding and the extent of damage to the facility were also not immediately confirmed.
The scenes of residents collecting swept goods raise both safety and legal concerns, as individuals wading into or near fast-moving floodwater risk drowning, while the collection of goods belonging to a third party may constitute theft under Ghanaian law regardless of the circumstances of their displacement.
Today’s flooding has affected multiple parts of Accra simultaneously, with separate incidents reported at Achimota Mile 7, where residents were stranded on rooftops, and along the Spintex to Polo Grounds corridor, where an Aayalolo bus was submerged with passengers aboard.
Watch the video HERE.
