Flood Kills Four, Destroys Property In Anambra

Four persons got
drowned and property worth millions of naira destroyed in Obosi community near Onitsha, following a downpour that lasted for about five hours.
The rain which started in the early hours last Friday, collapsed a four-storey uncompleted building in the Owelle Aja area of the community and flooded many houses, with their occupants trapped.
Our correspondent observed that some of the affected residents were removing their property soaked by the rain while others were laying sandbags and trying to create access for the flood water.
Our correspondent also observed that residents of Oduke Layout were wailing as a family of four were said to have drowned in the flood water.
Speaking to newsmen, a landlord in the community, Chief Achebe Ifemaje, urged the government to move fast to re-plan the community and stop land speculators from selling every space of land without regard to the flow of water in the community.
“What has happened is a big lesson to everyone, especially where people refuse to plan but put money first rather than the safety of lives.
“We appeal to Governor Willie Obiano to come and re-plan the entire Obosi community especially its layouts and Owelle Aja areas,’’ he said
An indigene of Obosi, Mr Michael Chukwurah, urged government to stop land speculators from indiscriminate division of land into parcels and restore the master-plan of the community by removing structures that blocked water passage.
But our investigations revealed that no  fewer than 120 lock-up shops were submerged by flood at the International Electronics Market, Onitsha, Anambra following a downpour on Friday night.
Our correspondent who visited the market recently, observed that electronics and other goods worth N50 million were soaked and damaged in the flood.
The Chairman of the market union, Mr Izuchukwu Okoye, told newsmen that traders in the market lost goods worth over N50 million to the flood.
“The flood came into the market when its volume could not be contained by the drainage along the Onitsha-Enugu expressway.
“Goods damaged were mainly from A and B Lines. We appeal to the state government to come to our help,’’ Okoye said.
Also speaking, the secretary of the traders union in the market, Mr Damian Ogudike, said the drainage in the area had always proved to be incapable of handling heavy rain.
“The expectation is that the government should expand the existing drains to be higher than they are now.
“The state government should take care of the situation and to ensure that floods do not submerge the market since we pay our taxes and levies,’’ Ogudike said.