According to the Deputy Director of Synoptic Meteorology and Forecasting at GMet, Mr. Joseph Portuphy, the persistent rains experienced in recent weeks have left the ground heavily saturated, significantly increasing the likelihood of flooding even with moderate rainfall.
Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight, Tuesday, June 9, Mr. Portuphy explained that the soil in many parts of the country can no longer absorb large volumes of water because it is already soaked from previous rains.
“For now, we have had a lot of rains that have made the grounds very soaked, so any little rain that will come will definitely run off,” he stated.
He indicated that GMet is forecasting additional rainfall by the close of the week, raising concerns about flash flooding in areas where the resilience of drainage systems and natural water absorption capacity has significantly declined.
“We are expecting more rains by the close of this week. The soil has already been saturated, so any rain will not be able to percolate as much as we want. We should brace ourselves very well for flash floods, especially in areas whose resilience levels have dropped drastically, particularly Accra, Takoradi and Kumasi,” he warned.
Mr. Portuphy noted that rapid urbanisation and human activities have weakened the ability of cities to cope with heavy rainfall. He observed that rainfall amounts that previously would not have caused flooding are now enough to flood communities.
“Those days, it can rain in Accra for almost over 80 milliliters of rain and we will still not have floods, but today if it rains 20 milliliters-30 milliliters, some places will be flooded. It means the resilient level of the city has reduced drastically due to our own activities,” he said.
Providing an update on the seasonal rainfall outlook, Mr. Portuphy disclosed that GMet had projected between 500 and 600 millilitres of rainfall for the Greater Accra and eastern coastal areas during the three-month rainy season.
He said current rainfall levels are already hovering between 150 and 200 millilitres, suggesting that cumulative rainfall could exceed seasonal projections if the current trend persists.
“For Accra, we forecasted about 500-600 milliliters of rains within the three months period of the rainy season. Currently, we are hovering around 150-200 milliliters of rains. If it should continue like that, by the time we get out of the season, we would exceed our target for the Eastern Coast so that is what we need to be very mindful of,” he noted.
The GMet official urged residents, particularly those living in flood-prone communities, to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures as the rainy season intensifies.
