Ghana floods claim five lives

Floodwaters following overnight torrential rains brought Ghana’s capital city Accra to a standstill on Wednesday and killed at least five people, a rescue official said.

Electricity was cut off in most of the inundated oceanside city of 3.9-million people as schools, banks and other businesses were shut.

“As of now five people have been killed while scores of people have been displaced by the floods,” Kofi Portuphy, coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation said.

Residents fled their homes as the water levels rose following several hours of rains that pounded the city.

“We are trying to rescue people who have been trapped by the floods,” he said.

The city’s main public transport hub, known as the Kwame Nkrumah circle, was inundated leaving commuters stranded.

President John Atta Mills toured parts of the city on Wednesday.

Rains in October are abnormal for Ghana where the rainy season traditionally runs from June through to August.—AFP