The Ghanaian Villages Destroyed By Climate Change – In Pictures

The Guardian - Nyani Quarmyne

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

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

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

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

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

Trapped between the sea and a lagoon, the village has nowhere to go. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures

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

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

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

Rising salinity has killed trees around the village of Azizanya, leaving a barren mudflat. Photograph: Nyani Quarmyne/Panos Pictures

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