27 October 2011 Last updated at 05:55 ET

Deadly floods hit Ghana capital Accra

President John Atta Mills has expressed solidarity with flood victims

Heavy floods have swept through Ghana's capital, Accra, killing nine people, officials say.

The floods destroyed homes, cut off electricity and forced the closure of schools and shops.

President John Atta Mills visited the affected areas, as emergency services rescued people who had climbed on roofs to escape the floods.

Flooding in October is unusual in Ghana, where the rainy season runs from June to August, correspondents say.

Ghana's National Disaster Management Organisation (NDMO) said the death toll had risen from six to nine after three more bodies were found.

Journalist Samuel Bartells in Accra told the BBC that with rain continuing on Thursday, some residents fear there could be more flooding.

However, the city is returning to normal, with schools and shops reopening, he says.