A sudden, intense three-and-a-half-hour downpour on Thursday morning, triggered flash floods in parts of the historic Cape Coast, leaving streets, homes and businesses waterlogged.

Some traders in the Central Business District of Kotokuraba and nearby Abura hurriedly repacked their wares and propped them in doorways, standing at their shop fronts and anxiously watching the skies as they waited for the rain to ease.

With water seeping across pavements, they scrambled to protect their stock from damage.

The Ghana News Agency roving team observed that within barely 30 minutes of rain, several streets, including NIB Road, Melcom, and the stretch from Kingsway via Republic Bank Road to Tantri lorry station, had their narrow gutters overflowing, pushing plastic waste onto the roads.

The situation was not different in low lying areas of Apewosika, Kakumdo and Effutu in the Cape Coast North Constituency.

Although there were no casualties or major damage, chaotic scenes unfolded as drivers navigated treacherous routes and pedestrians waded through floodwaters while commuting, working, or returning from journeys.

Some pragyia riders and taxi drivers had taken advantage of the situation and increased fares on routes particularly from Kingsway to Abura, Nkanfoa and Kotokuraba.

However, the GNA noted that the floodwaters had brought some respite, washing clean areas usually filled with pungent garbage and offering residents a brief glimpse of relief particularly at Anaafo, a suburb.

Some residents urged the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly to take urgent action to clear the ancient narrow gutters following repeated flooding.

Madam Ama Esuon, a trader, blamed blocked gutters for the floods saying, the Metro Assembly should act quickly before it got worse.

Mr Yaw Danful, who lives in Ayikooayikoo near the Tantri lorry station, pointed to poor urban planning and inadequate drainage.

“We need a comprehensive solution, not temporary fixes. Bad planning is our bane,” he said.

A student at the Cape Coast Technical University, Ms Akua Addo said the floods had disrupts daily life: “We are tired of being stranded in our homes. This must change.”

Residents called on the Assembly to tackle the root causes and implement lasting flood mitigation measures, including regular gutter clearing, improved drainage infrastructure, and long-term urban planning reforms.