Flood sacks Imo community, submerges houses, farmlands

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3 years ago

A flood disaster has sacked the Abacheke community in Ohaji/Egbema LGA of Imo State, submerging houses, farmlands, cash crops and other sources of livelihood.

The people of the community following the displacement take refuge in other communities.

The community have made a passionate appeal to both Federal Government and the Imo State Government to as a matter of urgency come to their aid to help ameliorate the pains and agony they are currently going through due to the flood incident.

Our correspondent who visited the affected areas for an on-the-spot assessment alongside the staff of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) saw some affected residents evacuating their properties from their homes which were already submerged.

Speaking over the incident, the traditional ruler of the community, HRH Eze Ikeji Bright thanked NEMA officials for their prompt response in conducting an on-the-spot assessment of the flooding in the Abacheke community and other neighbouring communities.

He stated that his people are predominantly farmers and that many of them have returned home after being displaced from their farm settlements and fishing job.

The monarch regretted that many of his subjects are now refugees in their own community due to the ugly incident which submerged many houses and the only secondary school in the area.

He said: “Government should assist us, we need urgent assistance such as food items, clothing, mosquito nets and other relief materials, this year’s flood came unnoticed, we have lost so many things including our plantations, my people are now refugees in their own community, we need govt intervention as soon as possible”

Contributing, the Coordinator of Egbema North Development Area, Hon. Obinna Ariaga disclosed that the people of the Abacheke community and other neighbouring communities affected by the flood are now using boats to move into an area that use to be dry land.

Obinna further hinted that his people who are mainly farmers have lost their farm produce as a result of the flood and soon the area will be plunged into hunger and starvation.

He also opined that there may be an outbreak of sicknesses and diseases as a result of the flood which he said has polluted the area.

He said: “My people are in a terrible situation, most of the displaced families do not have any place they can take refuge in, I hereby appeal to the Federal Government through NEMA, international organisations and other well-spirited individuals to come to the rescue of Abacheke community and other neighbouring communities affected by this flood.”

Narrating his ordeal, one of the victims affected by the flood and a farmer from the community, James Elemma, stated that the flood has rendered his entire household homeless and as well destroyed his properties in the house.

James called for assistance as he can longer feed his family because he can no longer go to his fishing job where he gets his daily bread from.

Another victim who spoke to our correspondent, Adolphus Nwokocha, stated that he is a well-known farmer in the community and that this year’s flood destroyed about one hectare of his cassava farm.

He said: “I laboured so much during last planting season, I did not only lose my farmland, the flood also destroyed tones of processed ‘garri’, I hereby call on the Imo State government and the Federal Government to come to our rescue by bringing a lasting solution to the perennial flooding that ravages Abacheke community and other communities in Ohaji/Egbema LGA”

Speaking shortly after conducting an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas, Nwaeze Innocent, Team leader and Principal Site and Rescue Officer of NEMA Imo State disclosed that the situation is a very severe one and that their office will put together a compressive report of their assessment to enable the Federal Government to make provision of relief materials and other items that could help ameliorate the sufferings of the affected communities.

He said: “there are going to be cases of a secondary emergency situation as a result of this flood incident, I advised the people of Abacheke and other communities affected by the flood to urgently evacuate from the affected area and as well relocate their children to a safer ground.”

He also advised the people of the community to discontinue constructing new buildings in the area that is always submerged by flood to avoid wasting their hard-earned resources.

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