Anambra, Kogi residents, farmers count losses to massive floods
As flood continued to wreak havoc on residents, motorists and passengers in Anambra State as well as the Lokoja – Abuja highway in Kogi State, farmers, residents and business operators in the state have continue to count losses due to the natural disaster.
The unfortunate incidents have wreaked havoc on several communities living on the bank of River Niger and River Benue.
Specifically, in Anambra, a substantial part of eight local government areas in the state are currently under water.
The local governments are; Ogbaru, Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Anambra East, Anambra West, Awka North, Ayamelum and Oyi Local Government Areas.
The floods have cost indigenes of the area their crops, homes, livelihood and even lives.
In Ayamelum, Anambra East and Anambra West, houses have been submerged totally, while residents have fled, taking refuge in school facilities in the upland ares of their various communities.
In Ogbaru, last Friday, two boat mishap happened on the same day claiming lives.
While one of the boats, a big sized boat was carrying 85 passengers when it capsized, a smaller one said to be a flying boats which capsized as a result of engine failure had five passengers in it.
Sources said all five passengers in the flying boat lost their lives, while only nine people out of 85 were rescued from the bigger boat, leaving as many as 76 dead.
Last Sunday, sources within the community confirmed that 16 dead bodies have been recovered, while 60 were still under the waters. In all, 81 persons lost their lives in one day in the area.
A rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has called for enquiries into the circumstances leading to the death of the victims.
In a statement signed by the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the group, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, he said the incident was beyond issuance of press releases by government to condemn the incident.
“The tragic mass deaths are beyond a mere statement of expression of sadness or shock and extension of condolences to the bereaved families by the Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo led government of Anambra State.
“Losing 81 defenseless and law abiding citizens of Anambra origin and residency in a day in such preventable or avoidable boat mishap is enough to fly flag at half mast or declare a state of mourning and public holiday if the authorities of the government of Anambra State are truly sensitive to the safety of the citizenry and conscious of the sanctity of human lives.
“The mass deaths also ought to invoke the setting up of the Government ‘Expert Enquiry’ to ascertain what truly happened, how it happened, why it happened, where it happened, when it happened and who died and who survived.
“It is not enough for the present government of Anambra State to issue sympathy message’ or ‘offer bread and butter and blankets and mats’ to flood victims and go home and rest.
“The 81 deaths recorded in the two boat mishaps would have been prevented if the failed portions of the Atani-Ogwuikpele and the Ozubulu-Atani Roads had been timely rehabilitated and proper water channels provided and drainages, gutters and other waterways unblocked.
“It was the inability of the government to ensure the above that made it possible for River Niger to bust into the left side of the residential areas of the Ogbaru interior and urban-thereby blocking and cutting off vehicular movements along the Atani-Ogwuikpele Road, forcing most of the passengers to use boats as the only alternative means to their destinations.”
The group called for the rehabilitation of the roads linking the areas, saying doing so could avert such occurrences in the future as the people can use roads, instead of water, especially during this period of flood, when water travels are dangerous.
Meanwhile, The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Disaster Response Unit (DRU) of the Military have commenced Aerial view operation to rescue persons displaced or trapped by the rising floods in Anambra.
The Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, South-East, Mr. Thickman Tanimu, told journalists in Awka on Monday, that it would aid the airlifting of trapped persons in the affected communities.
He said, “Search and Rescue (SAR Operations) has commenced. The Military DRU has engaged and have started ‘Air Recce’ or Aerial view to collect imagery intelligence of the affected communities.
“This will help to ascertain displaced and trapped persons who need to be evacuated to pave the way for air lifting,” he added.
Tanimu said the Presidency and the Director-General NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed-Habib, while commiserating with the state government and flood victims including the bereaved, approved the relief materials.
He said the relief materials would be presented directly to flood victims today, adding, “the delay in arrival of the relief materials is due to the flood disaster that cut off Abuja–Lokoja road and also the security situation due to the Monday sit-at-home in the south-east.
“The relief material will hopefully arrive on Tuesday and be ready for delivery directly to victims. These items are meant to complement the efforts of Anambra State government in providing immediate succour to victims and aid their speedy rehabilitation.”
For the time being, philanthropists, politicians and other good spirited individuals have been providing help to victims, who live in several camps within their communities.
A House of Representatives candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency, Dr. Amaechi Nwachukwu, who recently visited a IDP camp in Igbakwu community in Ayamelum lamented the sorry state of the victims.
Nwachukwu, a medical doctor who donated household and food items to the displaced people, also set up an emergency health centre in the camp to check the health of the victims and also provide them free drugs.
He called on other well-meaning people of the state to offer help to the victims.
Also, in Kogi State, residents of Kabawa, Adankolo, Gaduma and Ganja have been sub-merged and cut off from the rest of the state capital.
Investigation revealed that many houses may be affected as the high tide water is constantly increasing every minute.
While many civil servants that were caught unaware could not find their way to their various offices and those who are brave enough went through a canoe to the other side.