Traders at Alajo and Avenor in Accra are counting significant losses after torrential rains triggered severe flooding that swept through shops, destroyed merchandise, and disrupted commercial activities in the two busy trading communities.

At Alajo, traders are still coming to terms with the impact of the floodwaters, which overflowed gutters and spilt into shops following hours of intense rainfall.

Many traders say they had little or no time to move their goods to safety as water levels rose rapidly, engulfing stalls and damaging merchandise.

Scenes in the area showed traders knee-deep in water cleaning muddy shops, while others attempted to salvage soaked goods in a desperate bid to recover part of their investments.

One trader was seen wiping mud off soaked biscuits and bottled drinks, hoping to save whatever remained of his stock after the floodwaters receded.

Several vehicle owners were also affected, with cars submerged and filled with mud as residents worked through the morning to clear and assess the extent of damage.

Speaking to JoyNews, a resident at Alajo described the situation as distressing, noting that properties, vehicles, and in some cases livestock were submerged during the downpour.

He said the incident has left traders deeply worried about their ability to recover, especially amid already challenging economic conditions.

However, another trader admitted that poor sanitation practices by some market users may be worsening the flooding situation.

“We traders too have used the gutter as a refuse dump. Let’s stop, it’s not helping,” he said.

At Avenor, traders also recounted painful losses after floodwaters entered their shops and destroyed goods prepared for weekend sales.

One trader said she lost merchandise valued at about GH¢380,000, explaining that she was unable to move her goods to safety when the rains intensified.

She described the incident as devastating, saying the floodwaters came suddenly and wiped out her investment within minutes.

Across both communities, affected traders say they are still assessing the full extent of their losses, which run into thousands of cedis, and are appealing for urgent intervention to address the persistent flooding challenges.

They say improved drainage and regular desilting of gutters are critical to preventing a repeat of such incidents and restoring normal trading activities.