The 2015 Accra floods resulted from heavy continuous rainfall in

Accra Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...

, the largest city in

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

. The rain started on 1 June 2015. Other causes of this flood is as a result of the improper planning of settlement in Accra, choked gutters which block the drainage system and a few other human factors. The floods have resulted in heavy traffic on the roads in the city and also a halt in commercial activities as markets were flooded and workers trapped. Mayor of

Accra Metropolitan Assembly Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) is the political and administrative authority for the city of Accra. The Accra Metropolitan Assembly has a general assembly which is constituted by about 102 members: two-thirds are elected representatives and one- ...

, Alfred Oko Vanderpuije described the flooding as critical. At least 25 people have died from the flooding directly, while a petrol station explosion caused by the flooding killed at least 200 more people.

Affected areas

Kaneshie

The

Kaneshie market The Kaneshi markets Limited is a trading centre in Kaneshie, Accra, Ghana. It was built in the 1970s. The name "Kaneshie" means "under the lamp" referring to its beginnings as a night market. During the 2015 Accra floods The 2015 Accra floods resu ...

and its surroundings were submerged, preventing vehicles from moving.

Graphic Road

Graphic Road, home to some automobile companies and a hub for scrap dealers and other squatters, was heavily flooded. The

Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...

Ghana and Rana Motors showrooms were completely submerged.

GOIL fire

On June 3, 2015, a GOIL fuel station near Kwame Nkrumah Interchange burnt with people and vehicles in the vicinity. The fire also burnt a Forex Bureau and Pharmacy nearby. Over 200 people were feared dead and bodies have been moved to the

37 Military Hospital The 37 Military Hospital is a specialist hospital located in Accra, on the main road between the Kotoka International Airport and central Accra. It is the largest military hospital in the Republic of Ghana after the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. The ...

. The hospital later announced they are unable to hold more bodies. The cause of the fire was yet to be determined. On 4 June 2015 the Mayor of Accra

Alfred Vanderpuije Alfred Oko Vanderpuije (born 4 November 1955) Newghana.org Alfred Vanderpuije Ed.S. is a Ghanaian educationist and politician who currently serves as a member of parliament. He is currently the member of parliament for Ablekuma South Constituency ...

, Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey,

Nii Armah Ashitey Nii Armah Ashitey is a Ghanaian lawyer and politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey and is also the former minister for employment and labour relations in the Ghanaian government. Work Ashietey studied at the Kwame Nkruma ...

and President

John Mahama John Dramani Mahama (; born 29 November 1958) is a Ghanaian politician who served as President of Ghana from 24 July 2012 to 7 January 2017. He previously served as Vice President of Ghana from January 2009 to July 2012, and took office as presi ...

visited the scene.

Response

— President Mahama declared 3 days' national mourning for the victims affected by the flood and explosion. The government also released

GH₵ The cedi ( ) (currency sign: GH₵; currency code: GHS) is the unit of currency of Ghana. It is the fourth historical and only current legal tender in the Republic of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas (Gp). After independen ...

60 million to support victims.

References