Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Heavy downpour witnessed in the early hours of Sunday in Imo State has increased the number of displaced persons to six thousand as against the two thousand reported recently in Oguta Local Government Area flood disaster.
According to the lawmaker representing Oguta, Oru West and Ohaji/Egbema federal constituency, Kingsley Uju, over two hundred houses from fifteen communities in two local government areas of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta have been submerged so far.
The lawmaker who was on an assessment tour of the flood ravaged agrarian communities on Monday also disclosed that some of the victims are trapped in their farms as a result of the flood.
He appealed to the National Emergency Maritime Agency (NEMA) to send an emergency rescue team to save the farmers, while calling on the Federal Government and the state to come to the aid of the displaced victims.
Uju expressed fears that eighty percent of indigens of the various communities may loose their homes as the rain intensifies except urgent help comes their way.
According to the lawmaker, “I am afraid eighty percent of these people may lose their homes before the rain subsides if something drastic is not done; it may even result in a humanitarian crisis such as health and economic challenges. On my own part, I am going to table the matter at the floor of the House [of Representatives.]”
One of the victims of the flood disaster, Bonadventure Nzoma, a fish farmer, disclosed that he had lost over 11 million naira to the disaster, over three thousand fishes, including Fingerlins and three Crocodiles.
Meanwhile, Abia/Imo zonal director of NEMA, Evans Ugoh, who accompanied the lawmaker on the assessment tour, has attributed the main cause of the flood to the topographic nature of the communities surrounded by the Orashi river and Oguta lake.
Some of the communities affected by the flood are: Mmahu, Etekuru, Obiaakpu, Abor, Oguta I and II , Ezi Orsu, Orsu Obodo, Umuorji and Abacheke.
