'It's the worst I have seen in 40 years' - Man speaks to June 29 floods

A long-time resident of Adabraka has described the June 29, 2026, floods as the worst he has witnessed in more than four decades in terms of the volume of water that inundated the community.

According to a report by citinewsroom.com on July 2, 2026, Benjamin Lartey said the amount of floodwater that swept through Adabraka far exceeded that of previous major flooding events, including the October 1995 floods and the devastating June 3, 2015 disaster.

Having lived in the area for about 40 years, Lartey said the latest flooding was unprecedented.

“The water volume for this Monday was more than we’ve ever seen before. I’m an old man, and I can tell you from history. For the past 40 years, we haven’t seen such a flood. I experienced the October 1995 floods, I was here during the June 3 disaster, and I was here on June 29. This is the worst volume of water I’ve ever seen,” he indicated.

Despite the unprecedented water levels, Lartey noted that the June 29 floods claimed fewer lives in Adabraka than the June 3, 2015 disaster.

He attributed the lower death toll to the fact that the flooding occurred during daylight hours, allowing residents to evacuate more quickly and enabling emergency responders to carry out rescue operations more effectively.

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According to him, greater public awareness, particularly about switching off electricity during floods, also helped reduce electrocution-related deaths.

“June 3 happened at night, and many people couldn’t find their way because it was dark. At the time, people didn’t know they had to switch off their electricity, and that contributed to the loss of lives. This time, people had learnt from that experience, and because it happened during the day, many lives were saved,” he explained.

Lartey further observed that although the June 29 floods brought significantly more water into the community, they carried relatively less debris than previous flood events, making them less hazardous in some respects.

However, he stressed that the unprecedented volume of water remains a major concern.

The June 29 floods affected more than 38,000 people across the Greater Accra Region, displaced over 7,700 households and claimed at least 15 lives, reigniting concerns over Accra's persistent flooding challenges and the need for improved drainage infrastructure and urban planning.

MRA/VPO

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