Flood submerges houses, displaces 600 in C’River

Mudiaga Affe, Calabar

At least, 600 persons have been displaced by flood in Cross River communities while houses were submerged following rainfall in the last two months.

The flood affected 52 houses and shops in Ikami and over 48 houses in Ovonum communities of Akamkpa and Obubra local government areas respectively.

The Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. John Inaku, who visited the affected communities on Saturday, said houses were submerged as a result of the downpour in August and September.

Inaku said the flood displaced about 350 persons in Ikami community, while 250 were rendered homeless in Ovonum community.

He said that at the beginning of the rainy season, the agency had warned persons whose houses were built around the river banks to leave the area for safety.

 “As we can see, houses close to the river banks are being pushed away. We need to move the affected people to a higher place.

“We are pleading with the National Emergency Management Agency and the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation to come to our aid,” he said.

An official of the South-South zonal office of NEMA, who was among the officials that visited the area for assessment, declined comments because, according to him, he was not authorised to speak on the matter.