A heavy downpour which lasted for over 8 hours, yesterday, wrecked havoc in Ameachera, Ezeke Community, Amasiri, Afikpo North local government area of Ebonyi State. The flood, which sacked more than 2500 residents of the area, destroyed properties worth millions of naira alongside farmlands and livestocks.
When LEADERSHIP Sunday visited the area, it was observed that the people abandoned their properties trapped inside the flooded houses, but tried to save their children from drowning. An eyewitness and a resident of the community, Mr Ogbonnaya Mbe, revealed to LEADERSHIP Sunday that some of the youths in the community mobilised themselves to ensure that the flood did not destroy some of the victim’s documents and other valuables. Mr Mbe stated that the youths also assisted in scooping water from the houses of the victims, while others watched helplessly as the flood continued to surge into the buildings.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that apart from houses heavily flooded, shops, markets, religious centres, farmlands, and other buildings were submerged by the water, displacing over 2500Â persons. Mr Mbe attributed the flooding to lack of drainage system in the community, the numerous mining activities going on in the place and the hilly nature of the area, as the flood ran down from the hills and caused damage to the buildings in the area.
He also said that although no life was lost, the people are currently going through pains and hardship, as their household appliances, lifestocks and farmlands were completely destroyed by the flood. He urged the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA and State Emergency Management Agency to come to the aid of the victims. Mr Mbe expressed the worry that the flooding had become a regular occurrence adding that many residents of the community has abandoned their houses to erect structures at other places and called for a lasting solution to the flooding.
