Ghana Meteorological Agency warns of more floods in Accra

The Ghana Meteorological Agency has warned of imminent rains early next month. The rains, expected to be average, could cause flooding.

The Director-General of the Agency, Dr. Emmanuel Tanu, who said this in Accra, at a media briefing on this year ‘s seasonal weather forecast urged the National Disaster Management Oraganisation, NADMO, to step up its monitoring and early warning systems for floods.

This, together with the national health systems and platforms will enhance the country’s disaster risk reduction capacity.

The forecast predicts that generally, this year, early to normal onset of rains with significant probabilities of slightly longer dry periods are expected within March and May season, with above average for the forest regions.

The coastal belt which includes Accra, Takoradi will experience a high amount of rainfall of 400 to 600 millimeters. And for the second rainy season of April, May, June, there will be normal rainfall across the country except the Western forest zone, the Upper East and most places of the Upper West will experience below normal to near normal rainfall.

The Director-General of the Ghana Meteorological Agency, Dr. Emmanuel Tanu said that Accra now has a low level of resilience for disaster and therefore even though this year’s rains will be slightly lower than the previous year, it could be damaging. There is the need for precautions to forestall any disaster.

The Executive Director for Research and Applied Meteorology, Fransisca Martey, said that the agency’s predictions should be taken seriously because its 2019 forecast was about 64 percent correct.

The forecast predicts that the Western forest zone of Axim, during the second rainy season of April May June will see below normal to near normal rainfall due to activities depleting the forest cover.

However, cessation periods for both wet and dry seasons will be normal.