The recent continuous heavy rain experienced in Anambra State has left 13 communities submerged over 300 families homeless.
As a result, farmers have lost all their produce to the flood while residents lament the hardship experienced as a result of the incident.
Schools, churches markets and farm lands as well as residential houses in the communities have been submerged even as some of the residents have relocated to neighbouring communities.
Communities most affected by the flood include Ogwuikpele and Akali Ogidi communities located at the fringe of the River Niger. Atani, Umu-Uzu? Osamala, also located at the coastal lines of the River Niger.
Speaking to journalists, the President-General of Ogwuikpele community, Mr Sunday Madupuo, said that the communities are in a disaster, saying that there is a need to find a permanent solution to the yearly problem.
He said: “As it stands now, a lot of homes have been lost and several families have relocated and the number is more than three hundred based on the ones we can easily remember.
“We are living very close to the River Niger and it has overflown its banks and this is just the beginning. We do not have any Internally Displaced Camps where these people can stay.
“We need medical attention and we also need relief materials because the children and nursing mothers are now vulnerable to all kinds of diseases.”
President-General of the Akiri-Ogidi community, Comrade Michael Chukwuse, described the menace as one that has caused untold hardship to the people in the area.
“We call on both the federal and state government to come to our help at the moment because we do not have the presence of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). We cannot shoulder the responsibility alone.
“What we are facing in our communities is one that has left us helpless and hopeless to a point that hunger and if not starvation is dealing with our people because of the flood,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Felix Odumegwu, has announced that the state government has commenced inspection and understudy of the affected communities, noting that soon the Internally Displaced Camps would be established for the victims.
He added: “Flooding is an act of nature and it is a natural disaster but we started early to carry out awareness campaigns before the flood and we are currently interfacing with the NEMA and our own SEMA to assist flood victims.
“Medical Teams have been deployed to the affected communities to assist the victims.”
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