The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) has cautioned Ghanaians to expect stronger, more regular downpours in coming weeks as the country moves toward the height of the rainy season.
The GMet Deputy Director for Forecasting, Joseph Tetteh Portuphy, told journalists on Saturday, May 23, that recent showers are just the start of a heavier phase, especially in June.
He linked the shift partly to climate change, pointing out Ghana had a milder Harmattan this year. “It is very usual because it is ushering us into the main rainy season, and if you can look at it this year, we couldn’t enjoy a lot of Harmattan.
The hazy conditions and the coldness did not come, so that is one of the things I can say climate change is bringing to us,” he said.
“So we should brace ourselves. But once this one has started, it is ushering us into the rainy season, meaning more rains to come, this is just the beginning.”
Mr. Portuphy said the full force of the season should hit in June and urged people in flood-risk areas to act now. “I believe by June we should see the reality of the rain and then we should brace ourselves for more rains,” he warned.
“Everybody knows where they are and when it rains you know how it looks, especially those of us in the low land, there are waterways we should make sure that at least we should move.
If we cannot move out then we should move out temporarily then after the rains return.”His warning follows heavy rains that battered parts of Greater Accra on Friday, May 22, triggering widespread flooding, swamping homes, displacing families and trapping drivers on key roads.
A Citi News tour of hard-hit zones found houses under water, notably in Alajo where many residents were driven from their homes by the deluge. Mallam, Baah Yard, SCC and Dansoman also saw floods that disrupted traffic and foot movement.
Drivers in some spots battled waterlogged streets while gridlock built on major routes as commuters tried to get home.Flood-hit residents said the storm wrecked furniture, appliances and other valuables.
