The French government has donated US $5 million to help the Ghanaian government desilt, construct and restructure primary drains to solve the perennial problem of flooding in the country's capital, Accra. It also pledged a further $11 million.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator's office in Accra said in a situation report on Wednesday that the World Bank had also presented US $3.2 million for the construction and restructuring of some primary drains in the city.

The statement said unconfirmed reports from the Greater Accra regional office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) indicated that floods had displaced about 2,000 persons and caused four deaths.

The donations were announced after floods hit low-lying parts of Accra following a 10-hour downpour between Sunday and Monday morning, during which the city recorded 123.3 millimeters of rain.

Property worth millions of cedis, including homes, schools and business premises were destroyed as a result and families were evacuated to higher ground areas through military intervention.

The statement said the floods, which rose to window level in some homes, carried away personal belongings including cars and kiosks, among other destructions. Buildings were partly submerged in water while walls, bridges and culverts were washed away, it added.

In response to the humanitarian consequences, 20 tents and a quantity of blankets had so far been provided by NADMO to the victims, the statement said.

The meteorological services department has given indications that more heavy rains should be expected during the months of June and July 2002.