There was little warning as the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet (7.9m) in less than an hour and flooding that followed swept away mobile homes, vehicles and holiday cabins where people were spending the 4 July weekend.

Rescue crews are still searching for up to 25 children who were among the 750 girls attending the Camp Mystic just outside the town of Kerrville 104km (64.0 miles) north-west of San Antonio.

A state of emergency has been declared in several counties where several roads have been washed away and phone lines are down.

US President Donald Trump called the tragedy “shocking” and “terrible” as the White House pledged additional assistance.

Pictures show the deep flood waters swamping bridges and fast moving water swirling down roads.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said: “Within 45 minutes, the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet and it was a destructive flood, taking property and sadly lives.”

He also informed parents that if they have not been contacted, their child is accounted for.

“That does not mean [the missing children] have been lost. They could be out of communication,” Patrick added.

Officials said search and rescue operations, involving helicopters, drones and boats, will continue until everyone has been accounted for.

The camp said they have no power, no water and no Wi-Fi , adding that “the highway has washed away, so we are struggling to get more help.”

On Friday morning, flash flooding in the state prompted disaster declarations for the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions.

Kerr County’s most senior official, Judge Rob Kelly, was asked during a news conference as to why camps along the Guadalupe River were not evacuated in advance.

“We didn’t know this flood was coming. Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming,” Kelly said.

He then added “we do not have a warning system” in the area. Kelly added what happened on Friday far surpassed a flood in 1987, which killed 10 teenagers on a church camp bus near the town of Comfort, south of Kerr County.

According to the BBC’s US partner CBS News, the Texas Division of Emergency Management had multiple meetings on Thursday to prepare, but officials said the National Weather Service “did not predict the amount of rain that we saw”.

Original estimates were of up to 8 inches (20cm) of rain.

Officials said they were still concerned about the weather, adding that “if you do not live in area, do not come.”

Kerr County Sheriff’s Office told residents near creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River to move to higher ground.

Meanwhile, Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz said President Trump had “committed anything Texas needs”.

Source: BBC

Described by locals as the worst flooding in recent memory, the disaster destroyed farmlands, damaged personal property and brought daily life including education, to a standstill.

Many affected residents have sought temporary shelter in school classrooms.

Moved by the extent of the devastation, Ampem Nyarko visited the community on Monday, June 16, 2025, to express solidarity and provide immediate assistance.

Accompanied by Teddy Addi Safori, Deputy Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the MP donated GHS 2,000 to each of the 16 affected households as interim relief.

“I assure you of my unwavering commitment to help restore your lives and support recovery efforts,” he told victims.

The MP also pledged to advocate for the dredging of local waterways to help prevent future flooding in the area. Meanwhile, NADMO has commenced a full assessment of the damage and is coordinating additional support efforts.

District Chief Executive for Asuogyaman, Godwin Bobobee, is also mobilising further local resources in collaboration with the MP to bring sustained relief to the community.

One affected resident, speaking anonymously, expressed gratitude, saying, “His presence and support have brought us hope. This assistance will help us begin to rebuild our lives.”

The disaster has reignited calls for improved climate resilience and disaster preparedness in vulnerable communities like Frankadua.

The lifeless body was discovered on the morning of Wednesday, June 4, 2025, submerged in the stream.

The incident occurred following heavy rains that lashed the area on Tuesday, June 3.

Some residents who spoke to Accra-based Citi News suspect the deceased may have been swept away by floodwaters during the downpour.

As of the time of filing this report, police and emergency services were yet to retrieve the body and commence investigations.

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According to NADMO, the tragic incident was attributed to inadequate drainage infrastructure and unchecked urban development.

Speaking on Accra-based Channel One TV on Friday, Richard Amo Yartey, Director of Inspectorate at NADMO, revealed that three fatalities occurred in the Ga East Municipality, while two others were recorded in Adenta.

“Our records show that five people died—three in Ga East and two in Adenta. It’s a very unfortunate situation, and it highlights the urgent need to intensify public education. I encourage citizens to pay close attention to weather alerts for their own safety,” he said.

Mr. Yartey emphasized that the flooding was not caused by an unusually heavy downpour. He noted that the Ghana Meteorological Agency recorded only 25 millimetres of rainfall, but runoff from previous rains and poor drainage systems made even that amount devastating.

Several communities—including Adenta, Kaneshie, Weija, Adabraka, and parts of Tema—were badly affected. Roads became impassable, vehicles were submerged, and thousands were stranded.

NADMO is calling for stronger enforcement of building regulations and improved urban planning to help prevent future disasters.

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Dozens more were still missing on Sunday after two days of intense rainfall, which has inundated the valley around the capital Kathmandu.

People have been left stranded on rooftops with workers carrying out rescuers on rafts. Thousands of homes near rivers have also been flooded and many highways blocked.

Despite rain forecast to continue to Tuesday, there were signs of some easing on Sunday.

So far, more than 3,000 people have been rescued, according to a government spokesman.

But flash floods, along with landslides, have caused many deaths.

Five people, including a pregnant woman and a four-year-old girl, died when a house collapsed under a landslide in the city Bhaktapur, to the east of Kathmandu, state media reports.

Two bodies were removed from a bus buried by a landslide in Dhading, west of Kathmandu. Twelve people, including the driver, were said to be onboard.

Six football players were also killed by a landslide at a training centre operated by the All Nepal Football Association in Makwanpur, to the south-west of the capital.

Others have been swept up in the floodwaters. In one dramatic scene, four people were washed away by the Nakkhu River in the southern Kathmandu valley.

“For hours, they kept on pleading for help,” Jitendra Bhandari, an eyewitness, told the BBC. “We could do nothing.”

Hari Om Malla lost his truck after it was submerged by water in Kathmandu.

He told the BBC that water had “gushed” into the cabin as the rain intensified on Friday night.

“We jumped out, swam, and got away from it – but my purse, bag and mobile have been swept away by the river. I have nothing now. We stayed the whole night in the cold.”

Government spokesman Prithvi Subba Gurung told the state-run Nepal Television Corporation the flooding had also broken waterpipes, and affected telephone and power lines.

According to state media, 10,000 police officers, as well as volunteers and members of the army, have been mobilised as part of search and rescue efforts.

The Nepalese government urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, and banned driving at night in the Kathmandu valley.

Most highways – including the ones connecting Kathmandu valley with the rest of the country – also remain blocked in several places.

Air travel was also affected on Friday and Saturday, with many domestic flights delayed or cancelled.

Monsoon season brings floods and landslides every year in Nepal.

Scientists say, though, that rainfall events are becoming more intense due to climate change.

A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, while warmer ocean waters can energise storm systems, making them more erratic.

The coastal region of the East African country is one of the worst affected, with floods damaging thousands of farms there, Mobhare Matinyi, the government spokesperson, said in a statement on Sunday.

“Serious flood effects are experienced in the coast region where 11 people have so far died,” Mr Matinyi added.

He said, so far, 58 deaths have been recorded across the country from the flooding.

Last Friday, eight schoolchildren died after their bus plunged into a flooded gorge in the north of the country.

April marks the peak of Tanzania’s rainy season. This year has seen the heaviest rainfall in recent years.

The deluge has also led to the deaths of at least 13 people and displaced some 15,000 in neighbouring Kenya, the UN said.

The El Niño weather phenomenon has worsened this year’s seasonal rains, weather experts said.

The rainfall, which lasted for about two hours, caused a major storm drain traversing the Asogli palace to overflow, flooding the frontage of the palace to a depth of about four feet of flood water.

A resident of the palace told the GNA the flood water forced its way through a chain of stores bounding the yard, collapsing several and sweeping away varying goods including bales of cloth and beauty products.

Several people in the neighborhood including shop owners could be seen salvaging property from the retail shops and buildings the flood had crushed amidst wailing and lamentation.

Teams from the Municipal Fire Office and National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) responded and helped clear the waterways and conduits that had been clogged with debris.

The flashfloods, unseen in the area for over a decade according to the shop owners and traders, caused a road blockage at the Civic Centre and drew the public to the scene as flooded valuables were retrieved.

Structures situated on storm drains were badly hit by the raging flood and several traders affected blamed the authorities for refusing to address the prone area.

Ernestina Narh blamed the storm drain at the palace and said a metal sieve at the road culvert caused the flood, adding that authorities had failed to respond to her calls.

Steven Adigon, Municipal Director of NADMO, said stakeholders including the Electricity Company of Ghana had helped secure the area against further damage and that as the flood receded, the situation was placed under control.

He said the regional capital should be able to withstand the seasonal rain-floods and assured that the situation would be arrested.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Assembly, in a statement asked residents and businesses in flood prone areas to consider relocating.

It asked residents to desist from dumping refuse in drainages and waterways and remain vigilant and assured that stakeholders would address the situation.

The Assembly urges all residents to remain vigilant, follow safety guidelines, and cooperate with the relevant authorities during this challenging period saying Together, we can overcome the effects of the floods and build a more resilient community.

This, he says, is due to the fact that the rains are expected until the second week of July, since it is the rainy season.

“So we will plead again if it is a flood-prone area, then you just move out. If the rains subside then you come back,” he appealed.

This follows reports of flooding in some parts of Accra after Wednesday’s downpour.

One of the suburbs of Ngleshie Amanfro in the Ga South Municipality, Peace Town, has been completely cut off by the torrential rain.

Dr Portuphy also advised against commuting to frequently flooded areas, adding that alternate routes must be taken.

Again, he advised drivers to be cautious on the road and to park their vehicles when in flooded areas until the water recedes.

One of the suburbs, Peace Town, has been completely cut off by the torrential rain.

This morning, residents, including junior high pupils currently writing their examinations, dangerously attempted to cross the flooded areas.

Others who were commuting to work had to carry other vulnerable residents across in order to make ends meet.

In some instances, women and children were forced to hold hands to prevent drowning while making this perilous journey.

They have called on the National Disaster Management Organisation to assist them with a boat and other relief items to aid their survival, as more rains have been forecasted to come.

Find here more images from the community as captured by photojournalist, David Andoh:

Her visit follows recent heavy rains in the area that left scores of homes in and around Aflao, Agbozume and Klikor inundated by flood waters.

The situation has brought economic activities to a standstill, as many of the local folks are put under personal restriction in their homes unable to go out, a situation which is taking a toll on their livelihoods.

Footpaths leading to the market and the Klikor- Agbozume towns were heavily flooded, making the already deplorable area unmotorable.

Many people in these affected areas are full of anxiety as they anticipate more rain in the coming days, especially this June.

Currently, the Ketu South section of the Keta lagoon basin and other lagoons and small rivers surrounding the three traditional areas, Aflao, Some and Klikor, have started experiencing an overflow, threatening the residents along the banks.

Madam Gomashie told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the tour that, per her assessment, Agbozume had been the worst hit by the floods.

She observed that many households have been taken over by the floods.

“I visited the three traditional areas, beginning from Agbozume, Klikor and Aflao – by my assessment, Agbozume is the worst hit. Many households have been taken over by the rainwater and water from the lagoon – it’s disheartening,” the MP lamented.

She called for a swift response from the relevant institutions, especially the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to ensure that the situation was brought under control.

“I understand that this situation is perennial and occurs every rainy season. I think all of us should put our shoulders to the wheel to find a lasting solution to the problem.

There should be proper drainage systems in place, and people should be mindful of where they site their buildings, not on water ways. I think with some of these measures in place, we can avert these situations in the future,” she said.

The MP said she was mobilising to get some interim support for the affected households while efforts were being made to find a permanent solution to the problem.

Meanwhile, Mr Mawufemor Kofi Folivi, Assemblyman for Agbozume North Electoral Area, told the GNA that, officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) had visited the area to assess the situation and to collect data on the affected communities to see what form of assistance to offer the people in the interim.

The MP was accompanied on the tour by some NDC constituency executives and some well-meaning individuals from the municipality.

The rains caused severe flooding of several homes and destroyed property running into tens of thousands of Ghana cedis,  

As a result, many of the residents in the affected communities have had to relocate from the area to put up with their family members in neighbouring communities. 

Mrs Sylvia Awuye Akpavor, a media practitioner, who lives close to the affected communities, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the situation was alarming as it had really affected the daily life of the residents.

“I have personally visited the Duta and Agbawoeme communities. When you go there now, the situation is very bad. Buildings have collapsed and the people have lost their belongings, clothing, cooking utensils, furniture, even school children have had their uniforms, school bags and books swept away by the floods,” Mrs Akpavor said. 

Mr Gabriel Ayitey, Assembly member for Duta electoral area attributed the flooding to the spillage of a huge drainage channel (dam) constructed by Diamond Cement factory, which overflowed its limits and spilled over into the communities. 

He said: “This is not the first time we have experienced this flooding. It occurs every rainy season, but this year’s is just too much, we haven’t witnessed anything like this before. It’s a spillover from the Diamond Cement dam which opens into the communities,” Ayitey told the GNA. 

He called on the management of the factory to take immediate action to redirect the drainage channel to forestall further destruction to property and livelihoods of the people. 

Dabla Moise, Dziwornu Komla Song and Dabla Enoa, who were all victims of the flooding, took turns to pour out their frustrations to the GNA, and called on the Ketu South directorate of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), to come to their aid. 

Torgbi Alossode Eve Agadzi II, Ketu South Municipal Coordinator of NADMO, told the GNA that his outfit had been officially informed about the development and steps were being taken to assess the situation and to see what form of assistance to offer the affected families in the interim. 

“NADMO has been informed about this development – My team together with the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Maxwell Kofi Lugudor visited the affected communities to assess the situation and to see how best the Municipality can offer some interim assistance to the victims whiles we work to find a permanent solution to the problem,” the NADMO coordinator said. 

Meanwhile, Mr Tati Rama Rao, the General Manager of Diamond Cement Company, refuted the claims by the residents that the flooding was due to the spillage of the company’s drainage system. 

He told the GNA that management of the company was informed of the unfortunate happening in those communities, but said, attributing the floods to the spillage of the drainage system was far from the truth.

The yet-to-be-identified deceased was found dead in drainage at Sentimental near Oti Boateng Senior High school area.

The body was still lying in the drainage facility at the time of reporting at 6:40am.

Major roads leading to the Eastern regional capital Koforidua were severely flooded after downpour on Sunday.

Flooded roads included Effiduase traffic light stretch of the Koforidua to Bunso highway, the Abrewankwanta stretch of the Koforidua to Suhum highway, the Okorase portion of Koforidua to Mamfe Highway and Akwadum portion of the Koforidua to Suhum Highway.

The floods prevented vehicular movement for many hours creating gridlock until the flood waters receded at about 9:00 pm.

Hundreds of passengers and drivers were stranded.

The floods were caused by overflow of rivers and drainages on the roads.

Few drivers who attempted to bulldoze through the flood waters had their engines damaged.

Goil and shell fuel filling stations at Effiduase traffic light and Abrewankwanta roundabout respectively as well as shops and houses were also flooded.

A mechanic shop at Abrewankwanta was submerged destroying dozens of vehicles under repair.

Due to the situation commercial drivers travelling outside Koforidua doubled their transportation fares to cover cost of using long winding deplorable alternate routes to their destinations.

The newly constructed bridge on Koforidua to Nyamekrom road which was serving as alternate route to Suhum has also collapsed.

Floods wreak havoc in other parts of the region.

Many parts of the Eastern Region were also hit by devastating floods following three days of torrential rainfalls.

Major rivers -Burim, Ayensu, and Densu have all overflown its banks submerging homes and roads.

The Kyebi Court Complex, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) office, the Kibi Presbyterian College of Education, the Kyebi Demonstration school, and some other institutions and homes near the Birim River were seriously flooded for the first time in many decades.

It took the intervention of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service and some volunteers to rescue victims including children trapped in schools, offices and homes.

One of the videos which captured the incident on Friday and Saturday saw a family including women and children being scaled over a wall by the rescue team.

The wall of Kibi Presbyterian College of Education collapsed. A GETFUND project ongoing on campus was also submerged.

“This is the first time in the annals of the area that Birim has overflown it’s banks and flooded the upstream. I was born here and did my O-Level at ABUSCO. I have lived here, became an assembly member, worked at the Assembly I have never seen the Birim river flood the upstream of the river because the volume of water in the upstream is not much to cause flooding it is the tributaries that increase the volume downstream. The cause is blockage by the illegal miners who have diverted the river course in multiple portions,” Oteng Adjei, a former assembly member told Starr News.

Reports by officials of the National Disaster Management Organization in the various mining districts indicate more devastation at Denkyembour, Atewa, and Fanteakwa South among others.

Meanwhile, about one hundred residents of Amanase in the Ayensuano District were on Saturday, October 1, 2022, displaced as River Ayensu also over flooded its banks following days of torrential rainfall.

The floods entered homes, shops and almost submerged significant part of the community.

The Akwadum stretch of the Koforidua to Suhum highway was blocked by severe flood caused by overflow of the Densu river Sunday, October 2, 2022.

A statement by the Ghana Highway Authority- Eastern Region said “all motorists traveling between the DVLA roundabout in Effiduase- Koforidua to Suhum that due to the heavy downpour of rain over the weekend the road is temporarily not passable at the bridge at Akwadum.

“Motorists from Koforidua to Suhum are advised to turn at the traffic light at the SSNIT Estate to Nyamekrom-Supriso road to Obourtumpan then to Nkatenkwan and link the road back at the outskirts of Akwadum. Motorists from Suhum to Koforidua are to observe this and turn at the outskirts of Akwadum and follow the same route to Koforidua. The inconvenience is deeply regretted.”

A resident at Densuano, a community along the river fears the water Dam by the Ghana Water Company Limited in the community may collapse which will be fatal.

“The Dam is submerged, downstream houses are flooded, please inform National disaster management people to get closer to the people downstream for assistance.”

The Densuano Dam was subsequently shut down by the Ghana Water Company Limited.

Already, management of Ghana Water Company Ltd ( GWCL), Eastern region had announced to its “cherished customers and consumers in and around Akyem Oda, Akwatia, Kade and its environs that water supply has been interrupted as a result of the shut down of the Akyem Oda Water Supply Treatment Plant.

“The shutdown is due to flooding of the plant from overflow of water from the Birim River. We are waiting for the flood water to recede and assess the extent of damage to equipment and other installations before resumption of water production. We regret the inconvenience caused,” a statement by management said.

Dr Kwaku Adu, a Lecturer in the faculty of Environment and Conservation at University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies (UCAES) located in Akyem Bunso said the reality of climate change is being felt hence leadership of the country must be more committed to mitigating the impacts.

He said the scourge of illegal mining and deforestation will worsen the plight of Ghana if urgent resilient measures are not taken to address the situation.

Heavy downpours on Monday night submerged roads, flooded metro stations and caused blackouts across the city and neighbouring provinces.

Some areas received the highest rate of rainfall in 80 years, Korea’s meteorological agency said.

Weather officials said the rain was likely to continue over several days.

Images showed floodwater gushing down the steps of metro staircases, parked cars submerged up to their windows and people making their way across streets in knee-high water.

Local reports said three victims were living in a semi-basement apartment known as a banjiha.

Rescue officials said they were unable to access the apartment as floodwaters had risen to waist-high levels on the street.

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In an exclusive interview on Joy Prime, the Minister noted that the region is faced with flood issues because of the indiscipline exhibited by residents.

“Indeed they are there but, from the behavioral and attitudinal issues that we have in this country which leads to the indiscipline, we would experience floods,” he said.

“So it brings about the directives of Mr President that we should remove all houses from waterways and somebody goes to blame the assembly,” he added.

According to him, the government is doing its best to save the situation but to no avail due to the behaviour of the residents.

“Increasingly, it’s becoming as if the central government has not done its part and as a result the city capital is flooding,” he said.

Mr Quartey, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central, said that residents do not adhere to the laws of the country, hence making it possible for flooding.

“Well, the assembly goes there to give them warning, and they keep building overnight, and then when it’s time for flood people will say the assemblies are not doing their job but how else should the assembly do their job?,” he noted.

“It is the civic responsibility of all of us to respect the laws that govern us,” Mr Quartey stressed.

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Parts of Sydney have received about eight months of rain in four days.

Roads have been cut off, some houses are under water and thousands have been left without power.

Widespread flooding across Australia – driven by a La Niña weather pattern – has killed more than 20 people this year, many in New South Wales (NSW).

More than 100 evacuation orders have been issued across Greater Sydney for the current emergency.

People in another 50 areas have been warned to prepare to leave, as several major rivers flood. Severe weather is also hitting the nearby Hunter and Illawarra regions.

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Some areas of NSW have seen 800mm of rain in four days, says the Bureau of Meteorology, almost a third more than the average rainfall Greater London receives in a year.

The downpour is expected to begin easing in Sydney on Tuesday, but gale-force winds are also forecast, bringing a risk of falling trees and powerlines.

“The emergency is far from over,” NSW Emergency Services Minister Stephanie Cooke said.

Authorities are urging locals to heed evacuation warnings, after rescuers were called to save people who were ordered to leave two days earlier.

“Ultimately if you stay you’re putting your life at risk,” said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

For many locals, it is their third flood this year.

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Speaking after evacuating his partner from their house by kayak, Tyler Cassel said locals were tired of the constant threat to their homes and lives.

He moved into his home in the Sydney suburb of Windsor last year, and was told major flood events were supposed to be “one in 25 years, one in 50 years or whatever it was”.

“Now it has been three in 2022,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“We’ve become experts around this area now… you are almost living on the edge.”

Experts say the flooding emergency has been worsened by climate change and a La Niña weather phenomenon. A La Niña develops when strong winds blow the warm surface waters of the Pacific away from South America and towards Indonesia. In their place, colder waters come up to the surface.

In Australia, a La Niña increases the likelihood of rain, cyclones and cooler daytime temperatures.

Two provinces upgraded flood warnings on Tuesday as rivers overflowed and floodwater levels broke a 50-year high.

Videos on state media show cars being washed down streets, and people being rescued by ropes across swollen rivers.

The area is seeing its highest rainfall since 1961, weather officials say.

Residents of communities living along river banks and in low-lying neighbourhoods have been urged to move to higher ground.

The city of Shaoguan in Guangdong province has been one of the worst affected, prompting officials to raise its flood alert to the highest level as the city charted record rainfall since late May. A similar alert was put in place for Guangdong’s Qingyuan city.

In the low-lying Pearl river basin, which encircles Guangdong and Guangxi, the rain has disrupted supply chains, manufacturing and shipping already suffering under strict anti-Covid measures.

Meanwhile in Jiangxi province in the south-east China, authorities raised a flood warning after 485,000 people in nine districts were affected, according to Xinhua News.

Xinhua reported that the area had suffered economic damage put at 470 million yuan ($70.2 million, £57 million), with 43,300 hectares of crops destroyed.

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Local officials have warned the situation is likely to worsen over the coming days and will continue to raise water levels in the Pearl River basin.

China’s National Meteorological Center said the average rainfall in Guangdong, Fujian and Guangxi provinces between early May and the middle of June reached 621 millimetres – the highest since 1961.

The summer rainy season regularly results in flooding in southern China, but there are concerns that climate change is exacerbating the situation.

In contrast, many areas in the north of the country are experiencing unusually high temperatures, but the rain is forecast to hit there next.

He attributed the situation to climate change, describing it as a ‘downright natural disaster’.

He warned that the country was going to experience more rains in the coming days and, therefore, citizens should desist from building in waterways and improve their sanitation systems.

Mr Prempeh made the observation when together with Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Central Regional Minister, Nana Dr Ato Arthur, Head of Local Government Service, officials from the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality and other government officials, visited some affected areas to assess the extent of damage caused by the floods.

The visit was also to offer some support to victims of the disaster.

However, many victims of the floods have debunked his claims and told the GNA that an unannounced spill-over from the Brimsu dam by the Ghana Water Company Limited was the cause of the disaster and called for compensation.

Mr Hugh Hanson, a businessman, who resides at Elmina, said he lost everything and called for support.

Madam Naomi Kakraba, a trader, who was in tears, told the GNA how the water destroyed their belongings and they had to be evacuated by boat to a safer place.

The GNA observed that rivers around the Brimsu dam catchment area and main drains were all chocked with sand and weeds while some people had built on waterways and buffer lands meant for the expansion of roads.

Many homes were flooded, scores of buildings were flattened, hundreds of families have been displaced with one person confirmed dead as a result of the floods and many people were seen trying to salvage their little belongings left.

In addition, some critical roads have been rendered unmotorable by the floods, which destroyed bridges and covered some portions of the road.

Affected communities include Abina, Simiw, Nkontrodo, Atonkwa and Ankaful, Abakam, Kwaprow, Amamoma, CP and Berease and some residents lost everything to the floods.

The team also visited Jukwa, where repair works were ongoing on the bridge linking Cape Coast and Twifo Praso, which was broken into two by the floods.

Mr Prempeh urged citizens to be on guard against imminent disasters.

“It is raining heavily in West Africa., it is expected that flood waters from Burkina Faso will descend to Ghana and so we should all be careful,” he noted.

For her part, Mrs Assan described the scenes as ‘worrying’ and ‘heartbreaking’ and entreated everyone to be very cautious and put immediate measures in place to safeguard their lives and property.

“It is so pathetic, a lot of people have been displaced and we had to rush in quickly. We called on NADMO and the swiftness with which they attended to our distress call is so amazing and so we are very grateful to them.

“But the most critical issue is that one person has lost his life. This is so huge a loss to the whole country,” she said and expressed the government’s commitment to salvage the situation as soon as possible.

Millions of people have been stranded while emergency workers have struggled to reach those affected.

Forecasters are warning that the flooding is expected to get worse over the next few days.

Bangladesh government officials have described the recent flooding as the country’s worst since 2004.

Unrelenting rains over the last week have inundated vast swathes of the country’s north-east region, exacerbated by runoff from heavy downpours across mountains in neighbouring India.

Schools have been converted into makeshift shelters and troops have been deployed to evacuate households cut off from neighbouring communities as a result of rising waters.

“The whole village went under water by early Friday and we all got stranded,” Lokman, whose family lives in Companiganj village in Bangladesh, told AFP news agency.

“After waiting a whole day on the roof of our home, a neighbour rescued us with a makeshift boat. My mother said she has never seen such floods in her entire life,” the 23-year-old added.

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In Assam state in neighbouring India, more than 1.8 million people have been affected by floods after five days of incessant downpours.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters he had instructed district officials to provide “all necessary help and relief” to those caught in the flooding.

“Our house is submerged in water. I’ve never seen such huge floods in my life,” Husna Begum, a resident of Udiana village in Assam, told the BBC.

The 28-year-old has been living in a rickety plastic tent with her children since Thursday. “There is no drinking water in the camp here. My son has a fever but I am unable to take him to the doctor,” she said.

Ronju Chaudhary, who lives in the same village, described the scale of the flooding. “We are surrounded by water on all sides. There’s water inside our homes too,” he said.

This week’s rains come as Bangladesh’s Sylhet region was still recovering from its worst floods in nearly two decades in late May, when at least 10 people were killed and four million others were affected.

Syed Rafiqul Haque, a former lawmaker, said Bangladesh was at risk of a humanitarian crisis with “almost the entire Sylhet-Sunamganj belt.. under water and millions of people… stranded”.

Some 3.1 million people were displaced in the region, officials said, with 200,000 of them now being housed in makeshift shelters on higher ground.

Seasonal monsoon rains represent a lifeline for farmers across South Asia, but typically cause deaths and destruction to property every year. Bangladesh and India have both experienced increasingly extreme weather in recent years.

Environmentalists – while not ascribing single weather events to climate change – do warn it could lead to more disasters, especially in countries that are low-lying and densely populated.

The rain, which started on Saturday afternoon, lasted several hours causing severe flooding in the Komenda-Edina Ebirem Municipality.

Although some households have survived the floods, the situation is getting worse in other areas.

Over 100 houses in Komenda flattened due to overflowing rivers. #JoyNews pic.twitter.com/Z1R7HJmrut

— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) June 19, 2022

JoyNews Kwadwo Nyarko reports that officials of NADMO have been at the scene to ascertain the impact of the floods as well as what help to offer victims.

According to Kwadwo Nyarko, over 1,000 houses have now been affected.

Komenda floods: One confirmed dead, many trapped and nearly 1,000 people affected. #JoyNews pic.twitter.com/V1G2fmlRVO

— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) June 19, 2022

Director General of NADMO, Nana Agyemang Prempeh in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem programme Monday said about 700 people have been displaced by the floods.

He said as an immediate measure, they have presented relief items to residents seeking shelter in schools and churches in the area.

“We presented them with mattresses, mosquito nets, food items and toiletries” the NADMO boss added.

Nana Agyemang Prempeh said they are still doing search and rescue assessment to know the number of affected persons to provide the needed support.

Agatha made landfall on Monday as a category two hurricane, the strongest to hit Mexico’s Pacific coast in the month of May since records began in 1949.

Heavy rain brought by Agatha triggered landslides and flash flooding.

Most of the victims were swept away by rivers or buried in mudslides.

Agatha arrived on Mexico’s coast near Puerto Ángel with wind gusts of up to 169km/h (105mph) but lost strength as it moved inland.

However, torrential rains caused rivers to overflow and mountainsides to give way. Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat said that at least five people had been swept away by rivers.

Villages in the mountains are amongst those worst hit. The mayor of Santa Catarina de Xanaguía, which is located at a height of almost 2,000m (6,500ft), said that “there’s been much destruction”.

“We are cut off, there’s no power, the roads are damaged and several houses have been destroyed,” Mayor Ramos said.

Local media posted pictures of the devastation in mountain villages on social media.

DAÑOS EN OZOLOTEPEC:
años afectados por el Huracán #Agatha. Estas fotografías son de Santa Catarina Xanaguia y San Marcial Ozolotepec.
Las comunidades quedaron incomunicadas, se cerraron los caminos por los derrumbes, no cuentan con energía eléctrica, se afectaron las viviendas. pic.twitter.com/5aMReQvfLg

— El Sureste Oaxaca (@ElSuresteOaxaca) May 31, 2022

The town of Santiago Xanica issued a cry for help saying its residents needed drinking water, food and clothes as well as medical assistance for a number of pregnant women.

Town officials said the main bridge had been destroyed and Santiago Xanica could only be reached by air. They added that six residents had been killed and 10 were missing.

Scientists from the US weather service have predicted a very active hurricane season for this year with above average numbers of named storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye, has backed President Akufo-Addo’s directive for the removal of all structures on waterways.

According to him, it is a key intervention to stop the perennial flooding in parts of the country.

To him, although the move may have social implications, his outfit will comply with the President’s directive.

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“We have the political will to pull down structures on waterways. Whenever I go to inspect these drains, I sometimes order them to pull certain buildings down but I am not the implementing agency but since the President has come out with directives, we have to obey it. There would be no human face to pulling down structures on waterways,” he said in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show Thursday.

The President, after directing the removal of all structures on waterways also charged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to ensure that, with immediate effect, every obstruction to the free flow of water, as well as developments along watercourses, is removed.

The President gave the directive when he commissioned two dredgers and marine equipment by Dredge Masters Limited (DML), a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of companies (JGC), on May 25, 2022.

Unveiling the dredging equipment at the parking yard of DML at Adjei Kojo in Ashaiman, Accra on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, the President said this new fleet of DML will not only help curb the yearly flooding in Accra but also improve marine lives.

He commended Dredge Masters for their continuous role in supporting his government’s quest to find a permanent fix, especially to the perennial flooding in parts of Accra.

He indicated that dredging companies have traditionally contributed to coastal protection.

“For us in Ghana, Dredge Masters has made significant contributions in this area, and the introduction today of the two ultra-modern IHC Beaver 50 dredgers means that Ghana, within the West African market, has her own indigenous company which can dredge to a depth of 16 metres,” he disclosed.

With this development, the President pointed out that Ghana will not need to look outside anymore when it comes to the dredging of dams, reservoirs, ports, harbours and land reclamation activities.

According to him, from 2017, his government has invested GHC450 million in various flood-control measures, all in an effort to end flooding in the capital city.

Climate change, he said, was already in Africa, noting that this was being witnessed in the unprecedented floods in West Africa, depletion of forests, vastly altered rain patterns that are threatening agriculture production and food security among others.

“All these are undermining Africa’s ability to grow and develop to bring prosperity to its people,” he said.

He reaffirmed that his administration was committed to creating an enabling environment not only for the private sector to survive but also to thrive.

President Akufo-Addo used the chance to charge all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to ensure regular desilting of drains and gutters within their jurisdictions to allow the free flow of water during the raining season.

In this regard, he urged them to lead in the demolition of all unauthorised structures built on waterways.

“Any MMDCE who fails to carry out this exercise across the country would be held accountable,” he sternly warned.

The Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, in a brief remark, lauded DML’s contributions towards fighting flooding in Accra.

While admitting that flooding in Accra has become an annual ritual which continues to pose grave risks to lives and properties, he admonished Ghanaians to desist from practices that further compound the phenomenon.

“We remain committed to partnering with DML to address the flooding problem in Accra and other parts of the country,” he assured.

For his part, the Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiama, announced that his ministry will seek a very strong collaboration with DML to develop the Volta Lake to inure to the benefit of the people of the region and the country as a whole.

In his welcome address, the Executive Chairman of the JGC, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, indicated that, the IHC Beaver 50 is an ultra-modern dredging equipment, which is a top of the range equipment for dredging in the world.

He said these two beavers come to augment the already existing fleet of DML.

“Dredge Masters Limited is introducing these Ultra- Modern IHC Built Cutter Suction Dredgers 5014/16 (Named Akua Boahenmaa and Abena Ayinfua) and associated Marine equipment which bring the capability of dredging up to 16 meters deep and the capacity to carry out large scale reclamation. The total investment by the company in all marine equipment stands at 54 million Euros,” he revealed.

The dredgers, he explained, can undertake mega projects at ports and harbours, reservoirs and dams, reclamation of lands from sea, environmental and climate change mitigation works and flood control.

According to Dr. Siaw Agyepong, Dredge Masters Limited started with the acquisition of four ultra-modern amphibious dredgers from Aquamec.

“These dredgers along with long boom excavators, barges and earth moving equipment dredged from Odaw Channel to the Korle lagoon (from Caprice to the sea) to restore hydrological capacity of the channel. The fleet has been augmented with two more amphibious dredgers, long booms and other equipment over the years. Today, we have over 70 units of various dredging equipment,” he further disclosed.

He assured of his dredging company’s commitment to quality, sustainability, environmental protection and upholding high standards.

“The company is also fully committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in all its endeavours,” he added.

According to reports, the wall separating the Polyclinic and the Ga Mantse Palace got broken, which made way for the water to enter the premises.

Some staff members of the Polyclinic said the situation is not conducive for the administration of healthcare.

Management therefore decided to closed down the clinic today to embark on a clean up exercise.

The torrential rain which has lasted over 7 hours has caused many residents to abandon their homes and seek shelter elsewhere.

Some areas in the capital affected include Kaneshie, Adabraka, Weija, Teshie, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Dansoman, Tse Addo and Tesano among others.

Local authorities are calling for a state of disaster to be declared, after some areas saw months worth of rain fall in one day.

Officials have called it “one of the worst weather storms in the history of our country”.

Mudslides have trapped people under buildings, with more floods expected.

There are reports that the rescue effort is being hampered by poor visibility as a helicopter continues to bring people back to safety.

On Tuesday the BBC witnessed one such search operation for a 10-year-old girl who was part of a family of four swept away on a flooded bridge.

Community volunteers waded into the muddy river, taking turns to hack away at the branches using machetes and removing debris and rubbish that had washed downstream.

Jomba Phiri, who lives in the region’s main city, Durban, said his house had been swept away in the floods.

“I don’t know where we’re going to sleep now,” he said.

Parts of the crucial N3 highway which connects Durban to the economic heartland of Gauteng province have been blocked.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has visited the area and pledged to help.

“Even though your hearts are in pain, we’re here for you,” the Reuters news agency quotes him as saying.

He also described the disaster as a force of nature, which some have disagreed with. They blame poor drainage and badly built houses in low-lying areas for the high death toll.

Durban Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda denied that poor drainage was to blame, saying the scale of the flood was unexpected.

Scenes of destruction are still evident throughout the area. Some of the roads to the port of Durban are impassable after the swollen river washed mud and debris onto the roads. Operations at the port have now been suspended. A shipping container warehouse near a busy highway was severely flooded, and hundreds of containers were washed away.

In an industrial area called the Bluff, which forms part of the port, the BBC witnessed cars overturned on the road, or crushed by debris. Companies are using water pumps to drain the water from their premises.

There is also a hunt for crocodiles that were washed away during the floods.

Crocodile Creek Farm, about 40km (25 miles) north of Durban in Tongaat, says 12 crocodiles were swept away after torrential rain hit the area.

Ron Naidoo, a community pastor in the town of Tongaat, told the BBC he had been kept awake through the night by the rising floodwaters and had seen police drag a car out of the river with a body inside.

“It was traumatic because it is the first time that we have seen the river rise so high here,” he continued.

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government estimates that billions of rand worth of damage has been caused to properties and infrastructure, describing the heavy rains as unleashing “untold havoc” in a statement on Facebook.

Electricity and water treatment plants have been “flooded out”, the Durban mayor told the BBC.

Communications have also been disrupted with two major networks reporting that more than 900 of their cell phone towers are down.

Declaring the flood-stricken area a disaster zone will “enable the province to apply for emergency funding” from the National Treasury and assist with necessary reconstruction work, authorities say.

There are also reports of looting in Durban, which the local government has condemned: “We will not allow what is a tragic development in our province to be taken advantage of,” it said.

The government is calling on people to stay safe by avoiding flooded roads and bridges and to evacuate to higher ground if they live in low-lying areas.

The stormy weather comes as scientists warned that climate change is fuelling heavier rainfall than usual in southern Africa.

At the start of the year, the region was hit by three cyclones and two tropical storms in six weeks, which primarily affected Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi and inflicted widescale damage with 230 reported deaths according to the World Weather Attribution (WWA).

The class three pupil of King of Kings Preparatory school allegedly drowned while walking in the floods to the house after closing from school.

A search team made up of Police and residents led by the Assembly Member for the area, Benard Acheampong, have since been searching for the victim in the Nsukwao drainage facility.

The Assembly Member told Starr News the search party was at the Nkubem downstream of the drainage facility searching for the girl as at 6:00 pm.

The Koforidua -Sentimental area was the worst affected after an hour and a half downpour.

Flood Waters overflowed the newly constructed 16 million cedis Nsukwao drainage facility and flooded homes, shops, and roads in the area causing damage to many properties.

The Eastern Regional Capital, Koforidua has been experiencing serious floods for about two months now after every heavy downpour.

The Municipality after a two-hour rainfall on Monday, September 13, 2021, experienced one of the worst floods.

Dozens of homes and shops near the Nsukwao drainage facility were also flooded causing damage to many household properties and items being offered on sale in the shops

Some houses and walls collapsed as the floodwaters violently entered homes.

Many domestic animals particularly dogs, cats, sheep, goats, and hen were drowned and carried away by the floods.

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A visit by journalists to the Korle Lagoon and the Odaw river to ascertain the level of work revealed that the two water bodies have been well dredged to be able to contain the heavy rainfall that often claims lives and property.

The June 3rd Disaster, which was occasioned by heavy rainfall resulting from the choked Odaw, claimed about 129 lives, a situation that threw the whole country into shock.

But Dredge Masters Limited (DML), a leading dredging, civil and marine construction company in West Africa which has since 2016, been proactively planning and executing various dredging campaigns of the Odaw river and Korle Lagoon under the Accra Sanitary Sewer Storm water Drainage Alleviation Project (A3SDAP), has vowed to halt future flooding by ensuring the dredging of the two water bodies.

Operations Manager for Dredge Masters, Sena Kofi Adiepena, revealed that the company has achieved its target of successfully dredging the Korle lagoon to its design levels to avoid flooding in the capital.

“W have been able to meet our target as far as dredging of the Odaw and Korle-Lagoon is concerned,” he stressed.

He indicated after the Minister for Works and Housing, Asenso Boakye, visited the dredging site three months ago, a lot of work has been done, adding that the Korle lagoon, which is downstream, was completed to design whilst the Odaw river, which is upstream, is still ongoing and far advanced.

Mr Adiepena emphasised that the successful dredging of the two water bodies is the reason no flooding was experienced during recent rains, adding that the “Korle was able to control the outflow from the Odaw into the downstream.”

“You can recollect that it rained heavily recently but our scope didn’t see flooding. We have ensured that we don’t experience any flooding along the stretch and we are hopeful that there would be no flood again unless the rains exceed the capacity of the drainage system,” the Dredge Masters’ Operations Manager reiterated.

Mr Adiepena later stressed that their success in dredging the Lagoon and Odaw river has however been fraught with some challenges including encroachment at the banks of the Korle-Lagoon and disposal of waste into the Lagoon by the encroaches.

He added that “but we are still focused on delivering on our mandate.”

At Caprice, where the drain had been choked with silt by Squatters , journalists saw dredging machines pushing out and collecting the silt from the drain.

This dredging campaign has over the years resulted in an improved sanitary and drainage conditions of the Odaw river and Korle Lagoons and by extension, Accra.

The A3SDAP is an urban drainage and flood control project which is one of our special focus areas.

In 2021, a substantial amount of material was dredged within a short period ahead of the project schedule resulting in an improved drainage situation in the Odaw channel and Korle lagoons (Carprice to the Sea). The recent heavy rainfall within the capital on 26th June 2021 which resulted in flooding in certain areas of the capital after five hours of downpour saw the smooth functioning of the Odaw river and Korle lagoon basins.

Dredge Masters Limited is fully committed and actively engaged to prevent any flooding in the city of Accra wherever and whenever require, especially during the rainy season.

In an interview with JoyNews, Friday, Head of Forecasting of the Meteo Agency, Joseph Tetteh Portuphy, stated that human actions including building in waterways and filth are blocking the free flow of water, thus causing flood.

“The resilient level of the cities to flash out floods has reduced drastically just because of infrastructures, pavement of homes, pavement of offices so when it rains the water can not percolate into the soil, it needs to run off that is what causes the flood.”

During the wee hours of Wednesday, the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi witnessed the death of two people due to flooding.

Also, property running into thousands of cedis were destroyed by flood at the newly-built Kejetia Market following 24 hours of heavy rains.

Worried about the current flood situation, Joseph Tetteh noted that, the Ghanaian populace must heed to advice and help rid the country of filth.

Again, he urged the genral public to desists from building in unauthorised areas.

He said, “when you look at the data that we have, the rains that are recorded in the Axim area, if the quarter of it should fall in Accra, Accra will submerge. Some of the things that we do are creating all these things.

“So we just have to heed advice. And especially those of us in Accra, Kumasi and its environs, if you are travelling and you know that it is raining, please don’t go near where you believe there will be flood. Just wait somewhere when the floods drain, then you can continue your journey,” he added.          

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey under the make ‘Accra Work Again’ project, has ordered the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and personnel of the Ghana Police Service to demolish structures in waterways to allow for the free flow of water to prevent flooding.

In an interview with JoyNews, Friday, Head of Forecasting of the Meteo Agency, Joseph Tetteh Portuphy, stated that human actions including building in waterways and filth are blocking the free flow of water, thus causing flood.

“The resilient level of the cities to flash out floods has reduced drastically just because of infrastructures, pavement of homes, pavement of offices so when it rains the water can not percolate into the soil, it needs to run off that is what causes the flood.”

During the wee hours of Wednesday, the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi witnessed the death of two people due to flooding.

Also, property running into thousands of cedis were destroyed by flood at the newly-built Kejetia Market following 24 hours of heavy rains.

Worried about the current flood situation, Joseph Tetteh noted that, the Ghanaian populace must heed to advice and help rid the country of filth.

Again, he urged the genral public to desists from building in unauthorised areas.

He said, “when you look at the data that we have, the rains that are recorded in the Axim area, if the quarter of it should fall in Accra, Accra will submerge. Some of the things that we do are creating all these things.

“So we just have to heed advice. And especially those of us in Accra, Kumasi and its environs, if you are travelling and you know that it is raining, please don’t go near where you believe there will be flood. Just wait somewhere when the floods drain, then you can continue your journey,” he added.          

Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey under the make ‘Accra Work Again’ project, has ordered the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and personnel of the Ghana Police Service to demolish structures in waterways to allow for the free flow of water to prevent flooding.

Some 900 people in about four communities were displaced by floodwaters in October last year following the collapse of two local dams in a nearby village.

However, several months after the disaster, most of the victims have fled from the camps back to their destroyed homes and are now sleeping in structures made with pieces of old roofing sheets.

One of the victims named Fati, a 60-year-old woman spotted crying by JoyNews’ correspondent Eliasu Tanko revealed that she lost 40 bags of shea butter she bought with a loan in the flood.

“The flood has washed away my mud house and 40 bags of shea butter I bought with a loan. I now live uncomfortably in an unventilated structure made of roofing sheets,” Fati said tearfully.

Hundreds of properties were lost and destroyed prompting an intervention by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

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The Vice President promised the victims of the government’s support to help them rebuild their houses and other properties.

Joy FM Super Morning Show campaign dubbed ‘UpToUs’ donated relief items to the victims in one of the communities called Gaagbini.

The sad incident occurred during a heavy downpour on Thursday.

Assemblyman for Opeikuma – Chrispo City Electoral area, Alex Freku, confirmed the incident in an interview with Adom News.

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He disclosed the victims as a year-old-girl and her mother.

Some residents, speaking in an interview, blamed the situation on chocked gutters which they said have witnessed no desilting over the past two years.

Meanwhile, they are appealing to the Minister of Special Development Initiatives, Mavis Hawa Koomson, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for the area to come to their aid.

The historic Italian city has been brought to its knees this week by the worst flooding there in more than 50 years.

And the council chamber in Ferro Fini Palace started to take in water around 10 p.m. local time, as councilors were debating the 2020 regional budget, Democratic Party councilor Andrea Zanoni said in a long Facebook post.

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“Ironically, the chamber was flooded two minutes after the majority League, Brothers of Italy, and Forza Italia parties rejected our amendments to tackle climate change,” Zanoni, who is deputy chairman of the environment committee, said in the post, which also has photographs of the room under water.

Among the rejected amendments were measures to fund renewable sources, to replace diesel buses with “more efficient and less polluting ones,” to scrap polluting stoves and reduce the impact of plastics, he said.Zanoni went on to accuse Veneto regional president Luca Zaia, who is a member of Matteo Salvini‘s far-right League Party, of presenting a budget “with no concrete actions to combat climate change.

“The regional council’s spokesman Alessandro Ovizach confirmed to CNN that the council was flooded after discussing amendments to the 2020 budget — without specifying which ones.

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The council’s president, the League’s Roberto Ciambetti, rejected Zanoni’s accusations in a statement to CNN.

“Beyond propaganda and deceptive reading, we are voting (for) a regional budget that spent €965 million over the past three years in the fight against air pollution, smog, which is a determining factor in climate change,” said the statement.

“To say that we do nothing is a lie,” Ciambetti said. “We are a region that after the 2010 flood launched a plan to safeguard hydrogeological safety for a total cost of €2.6 billion, an exorbitant amount for regional finances.”

Ciambetti also mentioned the €468 million spent in the aftermath of the Vaia storm last year which flattened hundreds of thousands of trees.

Earlier Ciambetti, who posted videos of the flooding at Ferro Fini Palace on his Facebook page, said in a statement to local paper Giornale di Vicenza:”Never had such a situation occurred here (at the Council).

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The flood-proof bulkheads were not sufficient to contain the flood wave, nor was it possible to leave the building… It was preferred to guarantee safety and therefore to stay all inside the palace.”

The regional council meetings on Thursday and Friday were moved to Treviso because of the flooding, according to the council’s website.

On Tuesday, Venice’s mayor Luigi Brugnaro blamed climate change for the unusually high tides in Venice, and said the flooding was “a wound that will leave a permanent mark.”CNN has reached out to Zanoni for comment.

That’s according to Prophet Gyebi, a renowned Ghanaian pastor based in Kumasi and known for his prophesies.

Prophet Gyebi has revealed that the country will be hit by a storm that will displace many and result in the loss of hundreds of lives.

He confirmed that this prophesy has been looming in a while and within this rainy season it will manifest itself

He declared that “An update of a prophetic word. You remember God through me revealed that there will be strong winds and thunder, today I bring the update. People should watch out. This is a prophetic update. I made this revealation 2 or 3 weeks ago. I saw thunder and strong winds accompanied by floods destroying properties and many drowning in the floods. Lives were lost”

He emphasised that there is an urgent need for us as Ghanaians to fervently pray and call upon the mercies of our creator.

He said, “God is with us, we need to keep on praying for God’s mercy and this is the time we need to pray to Him. We need to pray for Him for divine intervention.”

The last time the country experienced such a disaster was in 2015 when a filling station at Kwame Nkrumah Circle exploded after rains had caused the place to flood.

More than 150 lives were destroyed and scores of people injured. Properties running into thousands of cedis were also destroyed and some people affected by the tragedy are yet to recover from the disaster two years after it occurred.

Tribal conflict

Prophet Gyebi also gave an indication that the pockets of ethnic conflicts and misunderstandings we are witnessing in the country is a hint of a looming national disaster.

He noted that that we need to be more prayerful as there will be more of such tribal misunderstanding

“The ethnic wars we are experiencing now in the country, it is going to heighten. We need to be more prayerful. We will see more conflicts that may get out of hand.” he intimated

Prophet Gyebi is the Ghanaian Pastor that prophesied about the Kintampo Waterfall disaster that came to pass and the victory of President Akufo-Addo ahead of the 2016 general election that has also manifested.