Over 2,000 houses, farmlands destroyed as flood ravages Enugu communities

About four communities in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State – Mpu, Okpanku, Ndiabor and Oduma have been ravaged by a devastating flood that displaced residents and destroyed houses, shops, rice mills, farmlands and other property worth millions of naira.

The flood, which began on September 20, worsened on Tuesday and Wednesday, submerging parts of Afor Okpanku, Ivo Bridge and adjoining roads.

Over 10 houses reportedly collapsed on Tuesday while rice, yam and cassava farms were washed away by the rising waters.

Residents evacuated their families and belongings to safer locations as heavy rainfall continued in the area.

The councillor representing Mpu Ward, Hon. Edwin Ogbuka, described the situation as life-threatening, saying several houses and farmlands were affected.

Ogbuka, who called for urgent government intervention, attributed the flooding to the overflow of water from the abandoned Ivo Dam project.

A community leader in Mpu, Mr Chukwu Magnus Dele, said six villages in the community had been affected, with displaced residents taking refuge at Amachalla Town School.

He appealed to the government and relevant emergency agencies to urgently provide relief materials and other assistance to the victims.

Similarly, the Youth Leader of Okpanku, Mr George Ahaefuna, described the disaster as unprecedented.

“Since I was born, I have never seen this kind of flood in my life. The flood has destroyed all we have laboured for this year.

“It has destroyed our crops, rice and yam farms worth millions of naira. I am appealing to the Federal Government, Enugu State Government, Aninri Local Government, NEMA and SEMA to come to our aid,” he said.

A shop owner at Afor Okpanku Market, Mrs Patricia Chukwu, said goods worth millions of naira had remained submerged for two days.

“This development is devastating. This is the worst flood that has affected Okpanku in my generation.

“If you go inside the villages, you will see houses destroyed by the flood. I urge the government, spirited individuals, the Senator representing Enugu West, the House of Representatives member, the local government chairman and the House of Assembly member to assist those whose houses were destroyed to rebuild them so they can return home,” she said.

In its assessment, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Enugu Operations Office in Okpanku, Aninri Local Government Area, following the flooding

The assessment was conducted with the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency and community representatives to ascertain the extent of the impact and the immediate needs of the affected population.

Findings from the assessment revealed that 9 communities which are Okpu, Ihibe, Ihuoke, Ukey, Amaeze, Ama chara, Obiagu, Ovum, and Obeagu were affected by the flood due to the torrential rainfall, which resulted in the overflow of the Ivo Dam, causing significant inundation across parts of the communities.

The assessment team further revealed that the flood submerged accessible bridges, affected 2,000 houses and destroyed large expanses of cultivated farmlands.

Several families remain trapped in some of the affected areas, while efforts are ongoing to evacuate them to safer locations.

Hundreds of displaced persons are currently taking shelter at Christ Methodist Church, Ihube, Okpanku, where they have sought temporary refuge from the flood.

The Head of Operations, NEMA Enugu Operations Office, Mrs. Priscilla Madukwe, expressed sympathy to the affected persons during her visit to the temporary shelter. She assured them that the Federal Government, through NEMA, was aware of their plight and would take appropriate steps to provide the necessary assistance and support.

NEMA will continue to monitor the situation with relevant stakeholders, coordinate further response efforts to ensure the safety, welfare and protection of the affected communities.

As at press time, more buildings and farmlands coming under the heavy flooding.

Residents who spoke to our correspondent said that Okpanku had experienced major flooding on previous occasions, with community accounts citing 1939, 1965 and 2026 as major flood years.

Speaking on the incident, the Chairman of Aninri Local Government Area, Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, expressed concern over the natural disaster, saying flooding occurs twice yearly in some parts of the area due to the uncompleted Ivo Dam project.

He said stakeholders were planning a joint visit to the Ivo dam to assess the reservoir and explore possible repairs to prevent further flooding.

“I felt sad the moment I heard about the incident. Most communities in Aninri have been submerged by flooding, such as Okpanku, Mpu, Uhuezeoke in Ndiabor and parts of Ezineshi in Oduma.

“Crops, houses and businesses were destroyed. We are assessing the situation to know the level of damage this has caused,” he said.