A prolonged and heavy downpour lasting over seven hours from Friday evening into the early hours of Saturday has caused severe flooding in several suburbs of Ho, the Volta Regional capital, leaving many residents displaced and property damaged.
The rainfall, which began around 1920 hours on Friday, October 10, and continued until approximately 0100 hours on Saturday, October 11, left parts of Chances Hotel Top, Kordzovia Kofe, and Sokode Lokoe inundated, with floodwaters flowing freely through homes, streets, and compounds.
The Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the affected areas and witnessed scenes of destruction and confusion. Residents, many of whom had not experienced flooding of this magnitude in years, stood by helplessly as the fast-moving water swept through their properties, damaging household items and eroding the foundations of some buildings.
Elder Watsi, a resident of Chances Hotel Top, expressed deep concern and disbelief over the incident.
“When I bought this land 25 years ago, I never imagined water would one day be running through my home like this,” he told GNA. “If those of us living uphill are suffering like this, I can only imagine the devastation further downstream.”
Several residents reported that the floodwaters entered their rooms without warning, forcing families to evacuate in the middle of the night. Furniture, appliances, food items, and important documents were among the valuables lost or damaged in the flood.
Mrs Patience Agbesi, another affected resident, said water began oozing from the rocks behind her home and flooded her kitchen and living area.
“The water didn’t just come from above; it came from underground and behind the house. I believe human activities are largely to blame — too many people are cementing their compounds and using roof sheets that don’t channel rainwater properly. All the runoff ends here,” she lamented.
She also noted that the lack of proper drainage infrastructure in the area had worsened the situation.
Residents blamed unregulated buildings on the Galenkui Hills, located above the affected communities, as a major contributor to the flooding. They claimed that new housing developments on the hills have altered the natural flow of water, with runoff now cascading down into the lower-lying communities during heavy rains.
“We are appealing to the Ho Municipal Assembly to take urgent action. Building on the hills should be controlled or stopped entirely. Every time it rains, we pay the price,” one aggrieved resident added.
Some residents also called for the desilting of drains, the construction of proper storm-drain channels, and stricter enforcement of building regulations to prevent future disasters.
No casualties have been reported so far.
Source: GNA
