Ghana: Panic as 'Scary' Tremor Hits Accra

Panic has gripped Weija and surrounding areas in Accra, Ghana following an earth tremor hit the region on Thursday evening.

Residents fled their homes for fear the houses would collapse.


The tremor, which happened around 7:50 pm local time, shook the ground for less than 10 seconds, according to locals.

“It was like a passing vehicle. One could feel the earth shaking,” said a resident.

Another man intimated, “It was so scary that ran out of my living room. Initially I thought there was something wrong with my building. So I quickly called my neighbour. He and his family were also running out.”

Weija falls into Ghana's seismic prone area along with Accra, Ho, Axim, Elmina, and Cape Coast.
The deadliest earth earthquake in Ghana is said to have occurred in 1939, when the earthquake occurred in Accra, 17 people died, 133 sustained injuries and Osu Castle, the seat of government had its roof ripped off.

There are concerns regarding the capability of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to deal with an earthquake if it were to hit the country at that scale.

“We are not ready at all and when it happens NADMO will only carry dead bodies,” Joseph Ankrah, a geological disaster expert said.