Tuesday October 19, 2021 will go down as one of the days to remember by residents in Ashanti region, especially those in Greater Kumasi Area.
What appeared to be a normal but ordinary day was later to be filled with frustrations, chaos and confusion.
Motorists and commuters were left stranded for several hours as a downpour on Tuesday evening forced several parts of the Ashanti region to flood.
Residential, commercial and religious places were inundated by flood waters accompanied by unprecedented heavy vehicular traffic as sections of the road were rendered inaccessible.
Over 3-hours of continuous downpour caused River Sisan, Owabi, Subin and their tributaries to overflow their banks to compound the situation.
Asokore Mampong-Sepe Timpom, Kumasi-Barekese-Offinso roads, among places were blocked for hours as they were taken over by flood waters.
Motorists and commuters were trapped for over five hours, as most part of the capital experienced gridlock vehicular traffic.
Vehicles and tricycles were swept away by the flood waters, trapping occupants onboard.
In the Asokore Mampong Municipality, the bridge, linking Asabi, Sepe Timpom, Asokore Mampong and other communities got flooded.
A Toyota Camry vehicle with registration number AS 4478-18 and three tricycles popularly referred to as ‘Pragya’ were swept away with their occupants on board on the Sisan stream at Asabi Junction.
The driver of the Camry car had closed from work at about 6:30pm when the incident occurred.
With commuters and motorists stranded at the either end of the road, there was little one could do at the time to help. It took two brave young men to rescue the occupants trapped in the car.
“I believe at that point, all that they were thinking about was them dying,” says Assemblyman for Sepe-Timpom, Kwame Nkrumah-Arthur.
The exact spot recorded six flood-related deaths about three years ago with the body of a woman still missing.
“About three years ago, there were containers all over and we experienced such floods and six people died around this area,” Assemblyman for Sepe-Timpom, Kwame Nkrumah-Arthur recalled.
The brevity of two young men who were later identified as Mohammed Abeede and Hashmin saved the situation.
Mr. Nkrumah-Arthur who was called to the scene was full of praise for Mr. Abeede and Hashmin for that life-saving intervention.
“It was sheer bravery that made the guys came here to rescue those guys that were trapped in that vehicle.
They have just saved us from another calamity.”
Some residents stayed awake overnight to either clear their rooms filled with water or ponder over the next move.
Affected residents here at Sawaba Newsite want the Susan River dredged.
Latif Issahak was away in Nkawkaw when he was informed of the floods.
Upon his return, his room has been submerged with the water at the window level.
His clothes and several other personal belongings were lost in the flood.
Latif was busy cleaning the flood waters when the news team visited his house at 2 A.M Wednesday.
“When I got home, my room was flooded so I am trying my possible best to see if I can clean it up and get a place to sleep.
It has almost destroyed half of my clothes, my mattress have all been destroyed.”
At Atafoa in Kumasi, commuters travelling on the Kumasi-Barekese were stranded as the Owabi stream overflown its banks.
Hundreds of vehicles had queued up at banks of the stream at about 6 P.M Tuesday. They could only continue their trip after 10 P.M.
“We are frustrated as if we are not part of Ghana. All we want to see is the river dredged to prevent catastrophe like this,” Adwoa Nimako told the news team.
But the newsteam on monitoring duties had to abandon the trip to Abuohia at about 3.30 A.M as flood waters swept away a portion of the Atafoa-Aboahia-Kronum road.
Communities like Kronum, Buoho and Atafoa were all cut-off.
A resident of Atafoa, Amos Addai was worried school children could not go to school because of the deplorable nature of the road.
“Yesterday’s case is worst. The road is no longer motorable again. I worried for these school kids who can no longer access the road.”
Meanwhile the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) is yet to extend any form of relief to affected victims.
It says it is assessing damage caused by the floods.
Regional Director, Kwabena Nsenkyire says its officers are already in affected district, municipal and metropolitan areas.
NADMO officials had counted over 100 affected homes as at the end of Wednesday in the Asokore Mampong Municipality alone. The exercise will continue till this weekend.
