Omanghana
A man who had earlier been rescued from rising floodwaters in Accra’s Weija suburb has died after reportedly returning to his submerged home to retrieve a television set, in a tragic incident that has deepened Ghana’s ongoing flood disaster.
The death brings the confirmed toll from the capital’s severe flooding crisis to seven, as emergency services continue rescue operations across multiple affected communities.
Rescued Man Returns to Flooded Home
According to emergency officials from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the man was initially evacuated from his home earlier in the morning as floodwaters rose to chest level, making the area unsafe for residents.
Rescue teams had moved him and others to a temporary safety zone while continuing evacuation efforts in the heavily inundated Weija community.
However, while responders were engaged in assisting other residents, the man reportedly left the staging area unnoticed and returned to his submerged room.
Fatal Attempt to Recover Personal Belongings
Witnesses say the man re-entered his flooded home in an attempt to retrieve his flat-screen television despite ongoing warnings about the dangers posed by submerged structures.
Shortly after re-entering the building, he was caught in a strong underwater current and became trapped beneath floating household debris.
Emergency responders were unable to reach him in time, and he was later confirmed dead by drowning.
Rising Death Toll in Accra Flood Crisis
The incident adds to a growing list of fatalities linked to the widespread flooding across the Greater Accra Region following a record rainfall event that dumped approximately 140 millimetres of rain in 24 hours.
Confirmed deaths now include:
- A mother and her two children recovered from a storm drain in Dome
- Three electrocution victims in Alajo, including a young migrant woman
- The latest drowning in Weija
Authorities Warn Against Entering Flooded Structures
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has renewed urgent warnings advising residents to avoid entering flooded homes due to the high risk of electrocution and structural collapse.
Officials say many buildings remain unsafe as floodwaters continue to interact with active electrical systems, despite precautionary shutdowns at selected substations across the city.
Emergency teams continue to stress that floodwaters may conceal dangerous currents, debris, and energized wiring, making submerged buildings extremely hazardous.
Calls for Caution as Crisis Deepens
Former President John Mahama has also weighed in on the disaster, urging residents to prioritize personal safety over material possessions during emergencies.
He linked the severity of the flooding to long-standing urban planning challenges, including blocked drainage systems and unregulated construction on natural waterways, which he said have significantly worsened the impact of extreme rainfall events.
Rescue Operations Ongoing
Disaster response teams remain deployed across Accra as authorities work to evacuate residents, restore access to affected communities, and assess the full scale of damage.
Officials continue to urge the public to avoid flooded areas, follow emergency instructions, and refrain from entering submerged buildings under any circumstances as the city battles one of its most severe flooding crises in recent years.
Source: Omanghana
