Alogboshie flood death toll climbs to nine

The human cost of last month’s devastating floods in Alogboshie, Greater Accra, has risen to nine after another body was recovered in the community.

Assembly Member for the Abofo Electoral Area, James Akogo, confirmed the discovery on July 15, saying the victim was found in a badly decomposed state, making immediate identification difficult. Police officers assisted in transporting the body to the morgue for preservation and eventual recognition by relatives.

The June 29 floods, triggered by hours of heavy rainfall, submerged homes and businesses, displaced families and swept away residents. Sixteen people were initially reported missing. Eight bodies had already been recovered, and the latest discovery has deepened the tragedy.

“This is the worst disaster I have witnessed in my lifetime,” Mr. Akogo told JoyNews. “Sixteen people missing and nine dead is not something anyone wants to write about. It is very painful.”

He praised government and parliamentary intervention, noting that military personnel had been deployed to dredge the Odaw drain in response to the disaster. Yet the emotional toll remains heavy. Akogo admitted he struggles to visit affected families, saying residents have even nicknamed him the “mortuary man” for his role in helping carry bodies to the morgue.

Beyond the loss of lives, the floods left widespread destruction to homes and property, compounding the hardship for survivors. For Alogboshie, the disaster has become a defining moment, exposing the vulnerability of communities in Accra to extreme weather and inadequate drainage systems.

Source: myjoyonline.com