Flooding: Rivers Coastal LGAs Count Losses

As raging floods wreak havoc in parts of the state, some
local government areas in Rivers State worst hit by the flood are living in
fear as farm settlements and even whole communities have evacuated.

According to investigations carried out by our Correspondent,
in Ogba/Egnema/Ndoni local government area, indigenes and residents were seen
moving away from their houses as the flood surged.

Some of the affected communities included, Obrikom, Krigeni,
Obahru, Idu, Okposi and Ede.

An indigene of the area, Mr. Abrahim Dakuku who described
the situation as pathetic, explained that the flood was beyond the control of
anybody for now.

He expressed the fear that any agency has the capacity to
deal with the situation considering the enormnity of the flooding.

At Odiereke, the country home of the Ekpeye Monarch HRM
Robinson O. Robinson the flooding was described by an indigene as “first in
history”. Although the Ekpeye monarch was said to be out of town, a source
which asked not to be named said the king has been briefed on the development.

Meanwhile, the President of Eugeni Community Initiatives for
Conservation and Development (ECICD) Comrade Willy Ayonoadu has called for the
dredging of the Orashi river to forestall future occurrence of flooding in the
region.

Ayonoadu who was speaking against the backdrop of the
sacking of some Eugeni communities by the flood, said the federal government
should channel the water from the Kainji dam and others to the Northern pat of
the country to help irrigate their farms.

He told our correspondent that the National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA) in conjunction with its Rivers State counterpart
should come to the rescue of the affected communities.

He listed some of the communities in Eugeni affected by the
fllod to include, Okarki, Okparaki, Mbiama, Akinima Kunusha and Okolobiama
among others.