Again: thirteen communities submerged, over three hundred families homeless as flood hits Anambra community 

By Pamela Eboh, Awka

The continuous heavy downpour experienced in Anambra State lately has left thirteen communities submerged over three hundred families homeless.

As a result, farmers have lost all their produce to the flood while residents lament the hardship experienced as a result of the incident.

Information has it that schools, churches markets and farm lands as well as residential houses in the communities have been submerged even as some of the residents have relocated to neighbouring communities.

Communities most effected  by the flood include, Ogwuikpele and Akali Ogidi communities located at the fringe of the River Niger. Atani, Umu-Uzu? Osamala, also located at the coastal lines of the River Niger

Speaking to journalists, the President-General of Ogwuikpele community, Mr Sunday Madupuo said that the communities are in a disaster, saying that there is a need to find a permeant solution to the yearly problem.

He said, “As it stands now, a lot of homes have been lost and several families have relocated and the number is more than three hundred based on the ones we can easily remember.

“We are living very close to the River Niger and it has overflown its banks and this is just the beginning. We do not have any Internally Displaced Camps where these people can stay.

“We need medical attention and we also need relief materials because the children and nursing mothers are now vulnerable to all kinds of diseases,” he said.

President-General of the Akiri-Ogidi community, Comrade Micheal Chukwuse described the menace as one that has caused untold hardship to the people in the area.

“We call on both the federal and state government to come to our help at the moment because we do not have the presence of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). We cannot shoulder the responsibility alone.

“What we are facing in our communities is one that has left us helpless and hopeless to a point that hunger and if not starvation is dealing with our people because of the flood,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Anambra state Commissioner for Environment Mr Felix Odumegwu has announced that the state government has commenced inspection and understudy of the affected communities, noting that soon the Internally Displaced Camps would be established for the victims.

He added, “Flooding is an act of nature and it is a natural disaster but we started early to carry out awareness campaigns before the flood and we are currently interfacing with the NEMA and our own SEMA to assist flood victims ”

“Medical Teams have been deployed to the affected communities to assist the victims.”