Flooding: Fear Grips Engenni Communities As Water Level Rises

Fear of an imminent flood disaster has gripped communities in Engenni kingdom of Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, following the rising level of water in the Orashi River.
Sources from the area informed The Tide that some farmers in the area have begun the premature harvesting of their crops to avoid them being destroyed by the imminent flood disaster while other residents have begun moving their properties out of the area.
Public Relations Officer of Isua Community, Joinkrama told The Tide in a telephone interview that there is widespread fear among residents of communities in the kingdom.
Oka, who is also the principal of Joinkrama Boys school said farmers in the area have began the premature harvesting of crops, in anticipation of flood disaster, while other are relocating from their homes.
“What is happening now is that, there is panic in the communities especially those on the shores of the Orashi river and some people are engaging in premature harvesting of cassava and other crops”.
He said the situation is not only in Engenni kingdom, but Ekpeye communities on the shores of the Orashi river are experiencing similar situation.
Oku said, though there are designated Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the area, the number of persons that will be affected will be too much for them.
He said, the solutions to this problem lies on the government finding a lasting solution to the problem.
He said the constant dredging of the Orashi river is necessary to ensure constant flows of water to the sea, while the adjorning creeks should also be dredged.
He mentioned the creeks to be dredged as that of Joinkrama Mbiama and Okarki.
“The government should open up the creeks at Okarki, Joinkrama and Mbiama for water to flow into the sea.
“Government should also embark on the construction of embankment, “The Orashi river is becoming shallow, Government should dredge it” he said.
The educationist who described the 2018 flooding as the worst however expressed the hope that the situation this year will be different. Oku said the frequency of flooding in the Engenni Kingdom and other parts of the state has supported the theory of climate change, stressing that since 1969, when he experienced the first flood disaster in the Kingdom, its frequency is now raising serious concern among the people.