Flood sacks several residents in Edo communities

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3 years ago

No fewer than a hundred persons have been sacked from their houses as communities mostly in Etsako Central Local Government Area, of Edo State, were flooded due to rainfall.

Some of the communities affected are; Udaba-Ekphei, Anegbette, Ukpeko Orle, Ofukpo, Agbabu, Osomegbe, Udochi, Yelwa, Ake Island and Ifeku Islay.

Churches, mosques, markets, schools were not left out in the ravaging flood as farmland with different produce were completely flooded.

The flood which is the resultant effect of the torrential rain in the last few days was blamed for the overflow of River Niger banks in the area.

Many residents were said to have fled their houses owing to the high level of water that was seen above window level, while those who managed to stay back moved around with canoes.

Lamenting their ordeal an indigene of the Udaba, Mr Isaac Omoaka, said “My village is completely flooded. Since I was born, I have never seen such a thing. This year’s flood is ten times that of 2012.

“We have a prominent son who built schools, hospital and mortuary, laboratory and several amenities here in Idaba, all of them now are under the water.”

“The people are calling on all governments at the Federal, state and local to come to their aid before they start losing their lives due to the devastating effects of the flood.

Contacted, the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon Osasere Evboumwan, said “We were in Etsako Central last Friday; myself, NEMA, SEMA, the Head of Local Government Administration, WHO and others.

“We are sending our report now to see how we can provide relief for them. Their farms have been taken away by water, every year this flood comes and NEMA said the only solution to this is to dredge River Niger otherwise it will continue to occur.

“For the immediate solution, we are going to be supplying food for them, the IDP Centre in Ogomeri is dry and there are facilities there but the people are reluctant to come there.

“We are preparing the IDP Centre for them, there are mattresses there, there is a generator, fridge is there, the kitchen is there then we will beef up the medical centre,” he assured.

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