Six people including a child have died and thousands have lost their homes as devastating floods sweep through communities in Rivers and Delta states, Eastern Nigeria.
Over 200 communities across four local councils of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA), Ahoada West, Ahoada East, and Abua Odua, all in Rivers State are affected leaving thousands without shelter, and food.
The communities include Usomini, Omoku, Obrikom, parts of Egi, and Egbema Ndoni in ONELGA. Mbiama, Akinima, Akioniso. The trauma community in Ahoada West has been submerged.
In ONELGA, bridges, roads, farms, and schools have been submerged in more than 20 communities and many have lost their jobs and sources of livelihood raising fears of imminent food shortages in the area.
The Chairman of ONELGA, Vincent Job, while condoling with the victims appealed to relevant authorities and organizations to come to the aid of the flood victims as most of them have lost their farmlands, houses, and sources of livelihood.
The Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike during the week approved N1 billion for the flood victims, and also set up a Taskforce to coordinate the distribution of relief materials to the affected communities in the state.
Urhobo Progressive Union calls for urgent support for flood victims.
The ravaging flood has also made its way to Delta state, taking over some Urhobo communities in Ughelli North, Patani, and Ughelli South local councils, and forcing many to lose their homes.
Speaking through its national publicity secretary, Abel Oshevire the Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU said the floods have destroyed ancestral homes/private residences, property, farmlands, farm products, valuables, and livelihoods forcing hundreds of people to relocate and seek refuge with friends and relatives within and outside the State.
A statement by the UPU noted that "however, due to the absence of IDP camps across the affected local councils, some of our people, who have no place to go, are roaming or wandering from place to place.”
"Some victims now sleep in the open, and other vulnerable locations, with no security, social, medical, psychological, or infrastructural support. For example, victims from Uwheru and other flood-stricken areas are in makeshift tents and shelters along the Ughelli-Patani expressway and other roadsides in the affected local government areas.
"Our traumatized people need immediate help. We face a humanitarian and health crisis with no immediate action taken. We, therefore, appeal to the Delta State government to help mitigate their suffering by establishing adequate and equipped IDP camps in the affected councils.”
Also speaking in Asaba on Friday, the Director General, of Delta Orientation Bureau, Mr. Eugene Uzum, said the ravaging flood had forced crocodiles, snakes, and other dangerous animals out of the River Niger into Patani communities, adding that a big python was killed while trying to swallow a victim in Patani.
In the meantime, communication between Warri/Ughelli/Patani to Bayelsa State/Rivers State has become almost impossible due to the heavy flooding at a portion of the East-West Road since last Wednesday. According to Uzum “Trucks conveying relief materials to that axis have been trapped. We now make use of speed boats to access the IDP camp to deliver materials to the victims,” he said.
Delta state government shuts down its university due to flooding.
The Delta state government has ordered a temporary closure of the state university of Science and Technology following the rising flood levels
Consequently, the Delta State University authorities have asked the students to vacate the institution for two weeks when the flood is expected to have receded sufficiently for normal academic activities to resume.
The government's directive was communicated on Friday, by the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr. Kingsley Ashibuogwu, during an on-the-spot assessment visit to the institution.
He noted that the decision was inevitable to ensure the safety of the students and staff as most of the institution has been flooded and the flood level was still growing.
Governor Okowa directs appointees to return to their home bases.
Meanwhile, Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has also directed political appointees to return to their respective ‘home bases’ to help out with ongoing efforts at providing relief for citizens of the state displaced by the flooding.
Confirming the directive in Asaba, Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Patrick Ukah, who also heads the state committee on flood disaster relief management said the government needed the officials more at the affected communities at these challenging times.
About a dozen relief camps have been set up across the state to provide temporary shelter for the victims of the flooding.
Ijaw group criticizes NDDC's handling of the flood disaster.
A group known as Watchdog for Progressive Ijaw (WPI) has condemned the poor handling of the flood disaster by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Ministry of Niger Delta saying that the government agencies were unprepared, nonchalant and insensitive.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Charles Taylor, the group lamented that despite all the warnings ahead of the flood, the NDDC failed to prepare for it and has shown a lack of capacity in handling the disaster at a time when the region urgently needed its intervention.
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