Amarata residents groan over flooding, seek govt intervention

RESIDENTS of Amarata community in Bayelsa State have continued to count their losses, sequel to the devastation suffered as a result of a heavy rainfall that lasted for two days in the suburb.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the rain came with wild wind that blew off the roofs of some houses in the area.

Residents were forced to remain indoor after the rain as the entire area suffered massive flood, the water level, it was learnt was above kneel, as residents returning from work were drenched and forced to remove their shoes, trousers, leaving only their boxers as they waddled home.

However, residents that have cars had to park their vehicle on the major Mbiama/Yenagoa road, because their vehicle would develop mechanical fault if they attempted to drive in the flood.

It was learnt that only owners of four wheel drive Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) were able to meander home in the flood.

However, the situation was a blessing to some youths in the area, as they made some money by using canoe to ferry residents of the community to their houses.

Worse hit by the heavy rainfall were occupiers of makeshift apartment popularly called “batcher”, most of them were flooded, forcing families to vacate their houses to squat with relatives in other communities that were not flooded.

Some household utensils left outside, were seen floating on the rain water, also some residents were in tears as trips of sand dropped at their building were washed away by the rain.

A resident, Madam Rose Eze could not fight back tears as the two days rain washed away ten trips of sand and destroyed over 28 bags of cement at her building site.

Mr. Kemela Eyinimi, whose roof was blown off told the Nigerian Tribune that he did not know where to start from or who to run to for help, even as he called on government to come to his aid.

Continuing, he submitted that the heavy rainfall that blew off his house roof also destroyed his electronics and sofa among other properties.

Environmental activist, Morris Alagoa, regretted the plight of the community, stressing that the devastation would have been contained but for the blocked drainages in the area.

Accordingly, he enjoined the people to engage in self help cleaning during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

He called on the state ministry of work to come to the aid of the community, particularly by re-planning the area and to ensure all drains were opened to allow rain water flow freely into the central drains located in different communities.

Alagoa, also called on the state government to support the victims, particularly owners of the buildings whose roofs were blown off in view of the losses they have suffered due to the natural disaster.