Flood Kills Pregnant Woman, Two Others In Rivers

Three persons, including a pregnant woman and a local chief have drowned in flood waters occasioned by increased rainfalls in Ahoada-West Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Chairman of Ahoada-West Local Government Area, Hope Ikiriko, who disclosed this to newsmen said one of the victims has been buried by the family while the bodies of the other two are yet to be seen.
Ikiriko said, ‘’Last week, the flood overtook 20 communities. But this week, over 40 communities have been submerged by the flood.
“Sadly, a pregnant woman who went to harvest premature cassava from her farm to salvage what was left drowned because she did not quite understand the terrain.
“The second person is an old woman who went out to get something for herself not knowing that the flood waters had increased far above the level it was when she left home. She fell and the flood took her away.
“The third person is a Chief Ibinimi Eneto, who was swept away by the vicious force of the rampaging flood. So, the victims are adults, not children.
“We are setting up more camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to provide temporary accommodation for thousands of people displaced by the flood,” the council boss stated.
He however appealed to the Rivers State Government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist the victims of the floods in the area with food and medical supplies.
“We need help. The flood waters are rising and more people are being displaced. People are leaving their homes in droves. And most of them are confused.”
“Anytime the rain stops, some of them attempt to go back to their homes to see what they can salvage. And in their confused state, fall down and even sustain injuries.
“We are counselling them that it is risky for them to plough through the water because the level of the water is rising fast,” Ikiriko advised.

Dennis Naku