The University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Wednesday morning cancelled all academic activities due to hours of torrential rains that flooded and submerged most parts of its campuses.
The heavy rains, which started late Tuesday night flooded the University and its surrounding communities including; Amamoma, Apewosika, Akotokyer, SSNIT , UCC and SRC hostels, while other low lying areas were all submerged.
The university’s School of Development Studies was the worst affected as the floods uprooted trees, eroded roads and widened potholes creating rings of craters of lakes impeding vehicular flow.
A News release confirming the cancellation of academic work and signed by Jeff Teye Onyame, Director of Academic Affairs of the University said, “in view of the massive flooding of parts of the campus, arising from the heavy rainfall over the past several hours, lectures and quizzes have been suspended for a day.”
It further directed all students and staff to remain safe in their homes and hostels.
Some students who were on campus earlier for their quizzes and lectures were worried about their safety as most roads were cut-off, but the timely intervention by the Ghana Police Service and the University security which directed both vehicular and human traffic and direction even in the rain saved the situation.
Some students in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) were worried about the perennial flooding at the institution and called for pragmatic measures to remedy the situation.
They stressed the need for the University to regularly desilt gutters and prioritise environmental cleanliness and environmental consciousness to forestall the dire consequences of the climate change effects.
At the University basic school, Mr Alfred Addison, Headteacher of the school’s North Campus said the car park was flooded with huge debris and security and staff worked tirelessly to assist students to school.
In a related development, pupils at the Ayifua St. Mary’s Anglican Basic School in Cape Coast could not also attend school as their campus was affected by the flooding.
Many communities in the Cape Coast Metropolis and Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality including; Abura, Ayifua, Kakumdo, Elmina, Abena among others were all submerged.
Many have been trapped in their homes and in other cases, the floods blocked major roads linking communities.
Efforts to reach out to officials of the National Disaster Management Orgaanisation in the Region proved futile as their phones were switched off.
By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
