Worsening coastal and riverine erosion is sweeping away homes and livelihoods on the Ghana coast. Photographer Nyani Quarmyne visited the small fishing village of Totope, which was once three miles from the sea but has now virtually disappeared
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The fishing village of
Totope is disappearing as the rising sea and worsening coastal erosion
bury buildings in sand. The villagers say they were once three miles
from the sea. Here women sweep sand towards the sea in a forlorn attempt
to prevent their homes from being buried completely. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures
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Tekpe Hongah, a
resident of Totope, sits on the roof of his rapidly disappearing home.
Fearful that the building might collapse at any time, he has been forced
to evacuate and move in with relatives. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures
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| A seven-year-old boy looks through a window in the sand-filled remains of a house destroyed by the encroaching sea. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures |
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Torgborfio Obodai, a
schoolboy from Totope, stands by a house that is being claimed by the
sea and sand. When the ravages of the sea are at their worst, he is
unable to walk the short distance to school for fear of being swept out
into the ocean. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures
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Trapped between the sea and a lagoon, the village has nowhere to go. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures
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Numour Puplampo stands in the doorway of his house that has been half buried, forcing him to abandon the property. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures
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| Every morning the women of Totope sweep the beach and bury the rubbish that has been swept down the coast overnight from the cities of Accra and Tema. As the sea continues to advance on the village it periodically buries homes in sand and rubbish. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures |
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Anikor Adjawutor and
Miyorhokpor Anikor look out from a window in their home on the nearby
island of Azizakpe in the Volta Estuary which has been destroyed by
rising waters. It is in a location that was once more than 100m from the
water’s edge; it now floods monthly. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures
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Rising salinity has killed trees around the village of Azizanya, leaving a barren mudflat. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures
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Hannah Abayateye and
her son, Junior, sit on top of all that the sea has left of their
traditional family home in the village of Akplabanya. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures
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