A number of communities in eight districts of the Central Region got flooded following yesterday’s early morning downpour that hit the region.
The eight districts that had some of their communities inundated by the floods are Cape Coast, Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA), Effutu, Gomoa East, Gomoa West, Awutu Senya, Agona East and Agona West.
Authorities of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) suspended all lectures due to the flooding which affected the university and its adjoining communities with a number of students’ hostels.
The rains which started around 12 am and lasted for about four hours also submerged the roads leading to the communities in the various districts thereby making the roads unmotorable.
Some residents who were affected by yesterday’s downpour in the communities struggled to move out from their rooms while others had to wade through the flood to safer grounds.
Most of the residents could be seen salvaging their belongings which were submerged as a result of the rain when it subsided.
Some of the communities affected by the flood included Eyifua, Amamoma, Apewosika, Kwaprow, Ebubonko, Abura, Esuekyor, Nkanfoa and Pedu in the Cape Coast metropolis as well as Abina and Atonkwa in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) municipality.
Two communities in the Agona East District namely; Brahabekume and Dumeki were completely submerged during the downpour.
The Public Relations Officer of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Eric Arthur in an interview explained that, the organisation had a distress call around 2:30 am yesterday from students of UCC at Amamoma, an adjoining community to the university and proceeded to the venue to rescue the students.
He said, after that, there were distress calls from various locations within the region in relation to flooding.
He further said that, officials from NADMO moved on to pump the water from the homes of affected residents as well as rescuing those trapped in their rooms.
Mr Arthur indicated that, personnel from the National Fire Service moved in to support the organisation with the pumping of water from the homes of residents as well as other rescue mission.
He appealed to residents living in flood prone areas to move to a safe haven due to the prediction of more rains by the Ghana Meteorological Agency in the coming days.
The Director, Directorate of Public Affairs of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Major Kofi Baah-Bentum who confirmed the suspension of lectures in an interview with the Ghanaian Times, said management adopted a proactive measure to prevent any casualty.
He said since most of the students stay in hostels in adjoining communities which got flooded, it was appropriate to suspend lectures for yesterday.
Major Baah-Bentum explained that, management would be monitoring the situation.
He was however quick to say that, despite the suspension of lectures, other activities organised on campus received massive participation.
FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST
