Torrential Rain Hits Accra... Today 26 Oct, 2011

I woke up this morning around 5.30am to the news on one of Ghana's leading private, English radio stations -- CITI 97.3 fm -- that people coming from Central region into the capital Accra were stuck because water from a bridge around the area had caused significant damage, and made roads impassable. Then came more news that people were "missing". When I heard no less than the managing-director of CITI-fm Mr.Samuel Attah-Mensa giving updates, replacing the usual religious slot at that time, I knew this must be a serious matter. I want to first begin by saying "kudos" to CITI-fm's Richard Sky (apparently up at 1am monitoring the impacts of the rains), Bernard Avle, and the MD, and the collective effort for informing us on the rains so early.

Without a doubt, other radio stations have been doing a yeoman's job of reporting the floods.

I want to use today's entry to pay tribute to all those working hard, including Ghana's National Disaster Management Organisation, to ensure that lives are saved and a sense of normality is reached for citizens of Accra. In the meantime, let me leave you with pictures I culled from news websites in Ghana. I was unable to capture my own pictures as I am blessed to live, and have woken up in an area where the water drainage is considerably better-structured.

 

This Was More than Torrential Accra Rain on Friday 15 January!

Last Friday night, minutes before the Cote d'Ivoire-Ghana game in the ongoing African Cup of Nations (CAN 2010) in Angola, the Ghanaian sky darkened, opened, and poured. It. Was. Terrific in every sense of the term: those of us who had the temerity to walk through the rain with a bag that included their laptop saw it very fit to find shelter ASAP to prevent rain from getting into the laptop system.

You could forget about the clothes; it was like we were in a giant shower perched in the sky. And, it just would. Not. Stop!

Thankfully, by 10pm, it was over. And so was the football game: Ghana lost 3-1 to Ivory Coast.

I guess the showers of blessings were for them?