Disasters
SOME residents of Egbelu community in Obio/Apkor Local Government Area of Rivers have raised alarm over the difficulties they are facing due to recent flooding in the area.
The residents, who spoke with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Port Harcourt on Monday, disclosed that their homes got flooded anytime it rained.
Mrs Kemdirim Chijindu, a teacher and resident of Ngbaraja-Egbelu, said that the road to her house and the entire compound had been flooded in the past two weeks.
“The other day, all the rooms in my house were flooded, my furniture have all gone bad, we had to drain the water after the rain.
“The way it is going, we may face a situation where the entire house will be submerged by water, something needs to be done urgently,’’ she said.
Another resident, Didinma Amos, a welder, bemoaned the damage on goods in his wife’s shop as a result of the flooding.
“We have closed the shop; all the goods in the shop, mainly foodstuff were spoilt by the water that took over the shop.
“This is not a very good experience, I cannot quantify the loss my family has incurred as a result of this flood,’’ he said.
Also speaking to NAN, Chief Kinikanwo Nwobueze, a resident, said that many residents were already living in the fears that the entire area may be submerged if nothing was done.
“We have heard about flooding in several areas, we are all living in the fear that similar situation may occur here,’’ he said.
Nwobueze urged the government at all levels to come to the aid of the residents by building drainage systems that would channel rain water out of the area.
Meanwhile, an environmentalist, Mr Iroulor Henry blamed the recent flooding in some parts of the state to the unfriendly environmental habits of some residents.
“Many people prefer to block the waterways, some build on it, other dump wastes on it, all these can contribute to flooding,’’ he warned.(NAN)
– Sept. 10, 2018 @ 18:25 GMT
Tags: Flood: Egbelu residents in Rivers seek govt’s intervention
