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A heavy downpour that lasted approximately twelve hours on Saturday, 21st June, 2025, has caused significant destruction in the ancient city of Cape Coast, resulting in the collapse of two two-storey buildings located at London Bridge and Coronation.
Information gathered indicates that the major drain that stretches from Tantri, through the popular London Bridge area, through Ntsin and empties into the sea overflowed its banks due to the volume of runoff water. As a result, most houses within the London Bridge area got flooded, affecting the structural integrity of some ancient mud houses, leading to the collapse of two.
In an exclusive interview with a journalist, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, Hon. George Justice Arthur, recounted the devastating collapse of a residential building at London Bridge that resulted in the loss of two elderly lives, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday around 4 am local time.
The MCE emphasized that the primary challenge lies in maintaining older buildings of architectural and tourism significance within the central business districts of Cape Coast, observing that these structures possess historical ties to the nation’s colonial past. He seized the opportunity to appeal to government agencies and property developers to collaborate with the Assembly in rehabilitating and renovating these historically significant buildings, thereby enhancing tourism activities.
In a bid to safeguard lives and property, emergency responders from the Ghana National Fire Service and the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly were promptly deployed to demolish the remaining structure at London. The emergency operation lasted several hours, with officials working through the night, meticulously combing through the debris to rescue survivors and recover those who perished.
The emergency exercise necessitated the blockage of major routes in the Metropolis, resulting in heavy traffic, as some major routes had to be blocked to facilitate unhindered work by the personnel.
A visit to the scene this morning revealed a completely flattened surface at the London Bridge site, while at the Coronation area, individuals were still attempting to salvage whatever they could from the rubble.
There are numerous mud houses within the Cape Coast Metropolis and, in light of the recent unfortunate incident, Hon. George Justice Arthur has taken decisive action to ensure public safety by demolishing another structurally unsound building at Brofoyedur.
His actions signify a bold step underscoring his steadfast commitment to protecting the lives of residents and maintaining a safe environment as the rainy season is not yet over. According to the CCMA official WhatsApp Channel, the affected families have received immediate support, with plans for longer-term relief underway.
Incidentally, the floods inundated shops within its path, particularly in the Kingsway area, and visibly distraught boutique owners were observed cleaning and drying their water-damaged clothing, footwers and hanging them on makeshift drying lines.
Saturday’s tragic collapse of two buildings has exposed the inefficiencies of the drainage system within the metropolis. Inhabitants of Cape Coast were amazed at the quantum of havoc wreaked by the rain and upbeat about what to expect as more rains are anticipated.