- Agency Report
Massive flooding, on Tuesday, left four communities in Aninri Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State thoroughly submerged, leaving many buildings, household property, farmlands and plantations, valued at millions of naira, destroyed.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the disaster rendered many families homeless, while rice mills, shops, and goods were washed away.
The affected communities included Mpu, Okpanku, Ndiabor and Oduma.
Other areas that suffered huge losses were Afor Okpanku Market, Ivo River Bridge and the adjoining roads.
NAN learnt that the flood worsened in the wake of a three-day torrential downpour, beginning from Sunday to Wednesday.
Reacting to the incident, the Councillor representing Mpu Ward, Mr Edwin Ogbuka, described it as “life-threatening”, adding that several buildings and farmlands were destroyed.
Ogbuka, who called for urgent government intervention, attributed the disaster to the overflow of water from the uncompleted Ivo River Dam.
Also, a community leader in Mpu, Mr Dele Chukwu, said six villages in the community were submerged by flood, which destroyed many buildings.
Chukwu said that the disaster left many residents homeless and currently taking refuge at Amachalla Town School.
He appealed to the government and relevant emergency management agencies to come to the aid of the victims with relief materials and other assistance.
The Youth Leader of Okpanku Community, Mr George Ahaefuna, described the disaster as “unprecedented”.
Ahaefuna said: “Since I was born, I have never seen this kind of flood. It has destroyed all we have laboured for in the farm this year.
“It has destroyed our crops, including rice, cassava and yam, worth millions of naira.
“I am appealing to the Federal, State and Local Governments to come to our aid.”
A shop owner at Afor Okpanku Market, Mrs Patricia Chukwu, said that goods worth millions of naira were destroyed, having been submerged by the flood for two days.
Chukwu said: “This disaster is devastating. This is the worst flood that has ever happened in Okpanku in my generation.
“I urge the government, public-spirited individuals and organisations to assist the victims financially and materially to enable them to rebuild their lives.”
The Chairman of the LGA, Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, expressed deep concern over the disaster.
According to Nwanjoku, flooding occurs twice yearly in some parts of the LGA due to the uncompleted Ivo River Dam.
He said that stakeholders were planning to visit the dam in order to critically assess the reservoir and solicit for its repair to prevent further flooding.
“I felt sad the moment I heard about the incident.
“Most communities in Aninri, such as Okpanku, Mpu, Uhuezeoke in Ndiabor and parts of Ezineshi in Oduma have been submerged by flood.
“Crops, houses and businesses were destroyed. We are assessing the situation to know the level of damage,” Nwanjoku said. NAN
