Floods and landslides triggered by days of torrential rain in Accra, Ghana, and Abidjan, Ivory Coast, have killed at least 24 people, according to authorities.
In Ghana, at least 12 people died, including a mother and child who were swept away in the Achimota-Agbogbloshie district, Alex King Nartey, a spokesperson for Ghana National Fire Service, told The Associated Press. Entire buildings and roads in Accra and the nearby city of Tema were submerged, cutting off access to several areas. Emergency calls began pouring in around 7 a.m. Monday as residents found floodwaters entering their homes.
In Ivory Coast, more than a dozen people died, primarily in the Attécoubé and Yopougon municipalities of the capital, Abidjan, according to the Minister of National Cohesion Myss Belmonde Dogo. Local media reported that at least nine individuals were trapped under rubble in the Mossikro neighborhood following rains that began Saturday.
Emergency services faced significant challenges reaching affected areas, requiring military assistance, Nartey said. Several neighborhoods remained partially flooded by Tuesday morning.
Videos circulating from Accra showed residents wading through deep water to rescue neighbors, with vehicles abandoned on inundated roads. The Ghana Meteorological Agency has advised residents to prepare for additional rainfall this week.
Deadly floods are a recurring issue in parts of Africa, a region highly vulnerable to extreme weather events despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the World Meteorological Organization.