Ghana Commemorates 10 Years of the June 3 Flood Disaster at Kwame Nkrumah Circle
- Ghana has marked the 10th anniversary of the June 3, 2015 flood disaster at Kwame Nkrumah Circle that claimed 154 lives
- A government committee attributed the tragedy to an overflow at a Goil station, recommending urgent river dredging to prevent future floods
- Survivors continue to struggle with neglect and hardship, appealing for support to rebuild their lives after the disaster
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Ghana is marking the 10th anniversary of the June 3 flood disaster, which claimed several lives and left many injured at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.
On the night of Wednesday, June 3, 2015, heavy rainfall flooded the capital, causing many people to seek shelter at a Goil fuel station near the GCB Bank at the Circle.
Source: Facebook
However, leaked fuel on the water’s surface sparked an explosion after coming into contact with a lit cigarette that was dropped into the floodwater.
This resulted in the deaths of 154 people, with several others sustaining varying degrees of severe injuries.
The majority of the victims were drivers and passengers caught in the heavy downpour who rushed to the Goil fuel station for shelter.
Aside from the lives lost, many properties, estimated at a total value of GH¢1.65 million, were also damaged in the flood disaster.
Government committee investigates cause of disaster
Following the tragedy, the government declared three days of national mourning and formed a committee to investigate the cause of the fire.
After concluding its investigations, the committee stated that the incident was caused by an overflow of fuel from the Goil station.
The committee also made several recommendations, including dredging and desilting the Odaw River and its tributaries, which are prone to overflowing during rains.
Read the Facebook post below:
Survivors still reeling in pain
A decade after this tragic incident, families of both the deceased and surviving victims are still reeling in pain, struggling to erase the memories and scars of that unfortunate night.
For the survivors, life after the disaster has been a difficult battle characterised by neglect, poverty, and exclusion, owing to their inability to return to their previous jobs and lead normal lives.
A survivor, identified as Kasim Suraj, said he is still enduring the painful consequences of the June 3, 2015 disaster.
Speaking to the media, Kasim stated that years of surgeries, coupled with travelling long distances for medical reviews, have taken a toll on him.
Source: Facebook
Consequently, he appealed to the general public for support, particularly requesting a vehicle to enable him to work and care for himself and his children.
Thomas Sekyi, chairman of the Flood and Fire Victims Association, lamented the continued neglect of survivors of the June 3 disaster and the general indifference often shown by some public institutions.
He suggested that when survivors visit Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, they are met with bureaucratic silence.
Mr Sekyi also bemoaned the lack of a coordinated national support system to reintegrate victims into society.
Four-year-old among casualties of heavy downpour
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that the Municipal Chief Executive for the Adentan Municipal Assembly, Ella Esiman Nongo, disclosed that at least three persons died during the recent flooding on Sunday, May 18.
Nongo said the fatalities occurred at Lakeside, Nanakrom, and New Legon after the heavy downpour.
The floods caused major traffic congestion and left numerous pedestrians stranded in other parts of Greater Accra.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
