Flooding disaster: 7,761 households affected, 7 still missing – Interior Minister

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has disclosed that 7,761 households were affected by Monday's devastating floods that ravaged parts of Greater Accra and other regions, with 12 people confirmed dead and seven others still missing as emergency search and rescue operations continue.

The update was delivered to Parliament on Tuesday, June 30, as government intensifies relief efforts following one of the most destructive flooding incidents to hit the capital in recent years.

According to the Interior Minister, 3,882 individuals have been directly affected by the disaster, while thousands of households have suffered varying degrees of damage to homes, businesses and personal property.

Emergency response teams remain deployed across affected communities to search for missing persons, rescue stranded residents and assess the full scale of destruction caused by the torrential rainfall.

"As of this morning, seven persons are still missing. 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, and 12 people are dead," Mr. Mohammed-Mubarak told Parliament.

The torrential rains, which lasted for several hours on Monday, caused severe flooding across numerous communities in the Greater Accra Region.

Among the worst-affected areas were:

• Alajo
• Adabraka
• Circle
• Kaneshie
• Weija
• Tse Addo
• Ofankor
• Pantang
• Ashongman Estates
• Parts of the Tema Metropolis

Floodwaters submerged homes, shops, offices and major roads, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded while disrupting commercial activities and public transportation throughout the capital.

Several families were forced to evacuate their homes after rising waters engulfed residential neighbourhoods.

The Interior Minister expressed government's deepest sympathies to families who lost loved ones during the disaster and assured Parliament that every effort was being made to assist affected communities.

He said government remains committed to providing immediate humanitarian support while working to restore normalcy in the affected areas.

Mr. Mohammed-Mubarak commended the efforts of emergency response agencies that have remained on the ground since the flooding began.

He noted that the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, and other security and emergency agencies continue to conduct search and rescue operations, evacuate stranded residents and provide emergency assistance to victims.

The agencies are also carrying out damage assessments to determine the level of destruction and the resources required for recovery efforts.

The Minister said government is coordinating the distribution of emergency relief items to displaced families while considering longer-term interventions to address Accra's recurring flooding challenges.

His remarks come shortly after President John Dramani Mahama announced the release of GH¢300 million from the Contingency Fund, with GH¢150 million allocated for immediate flood relief and another GH¢150 million earmarked for flood mitigation projects across vulnerable communities.

Government has also deployed additional military and police personnel to support ongoing rescue and relief operations.

Monday's downpour triggered widespread flooding that brought large sections of Accra to a standstill.

Several major roads became impassable, while businesses suspended operations due to inundated premises and severe traffic congestion.

Some tertiary institutions, including the University of Ghana and the Ghana School of Law, were forced to suspend lectures and postpone examinations because of dangerous travel conditions.

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) also temporarily shut down the Mallam and Achimota primary substations to protect critical electricity infrastructure from flood damage.

As recovery efforts continue, authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and avoid flood-prone areas, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.

The public has also been advised to stay away from fast-flowing floodwaters, avoid driving through flooded roads and immediately report emergencies to NADMO and other emergency response agencies.

Government says it remains committed to strengthening flood preparedness, improving drainage infrastructure and implementing long-term urban planning reforms to reduce the impact of future flooding disasters.