• Kumasi recorded hours of rainfall on Wednesday
• This led to the flooding of several areas in the Ashanti Regional capital
• Reports following the rainfall include the suspected drowning of a toddler who was carried away by floodwater
Some areas in the Ashanti Regional Capital of Kumasi were left flooded following hours of rain on Wednesday, June 23, 2021.
According to a report by Kwabena Nsafoa on Facebook, some areas including Atasomanso Station, Edwenase to Patasi Bridge, Patasi to Dr Anane Road, Adiembra Vibration Bridge, Atonsu S-Line, Friends Line and Atonso to Atafoa were all flooded after the rain.
Several commuters were left stranded; while others were forced to come out of vehicles they had boarded and trek through the floodwaters despite the associated risks.
Toddler feared drowned
Some reports emanating in the aftermath of the rain include the suspected drowning of a toddler.
According to a Joynews report, the child was said to be travelling with the mother when the tricycle (pragya) they were in, got stuck in the floodwaters.
The five persons on board the tricycle including the toddler and the mother attempted to walk through the flood.
The tricycle rider, Ahmed Mohamed in a Joynews interview narrated that the baby was carried away by the moving water.
“I pulled the hand brake to stop the tricycle from moving. The passengers kept shouting in fear. They all got down immediately the tricycle stopped. That was when I saw them fall into the floodwater. It took some men to help them out but we didn’t get the child,” he said.
The suspected drowning incident is reported to have occurred on the bridge crossing the Wewe River and linking the Sawaba areas in Kumasi.
According to reports, the bridge is partially caved in, a situation that contributes to the perennial flooding in the area and making the bridge a death trap whenever it rains.