- Locals told newsmen that the situation was compounded because the construction firm(name withheld) working on a road near the area diverted waters into their community instead of channelling it to the River Niger.
A devastating flood has claimed the lives of two people in Anambra state.
A mother of three was among the two persons who lost their lives in the disaster after a torrential rainfall between Thursday and Friday.
The tragic incident happened at Ugwu Mkpume Layout, Achalla Agu community in Nkpor Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The victims were said to be sleeping when the flood suddenly barrelled into their various apartments, swept them away and they were found dead in another location.
Many buildings in the area were reportedly submerged while properties estimated to be worth millions of naira were destroyed as well as farmlands washed away by the flood.
Locals told newsmen that the situation was compounded because the construction firm(name withheld) working on a road near the area diverted waters into their community instead of channelling it to the River Niger.
The Vice President, Ugwu Mkpume Achalla Agu Landlords’ Association, Ifeanyi Oghota, described the incident as unfortunate, lamenting that the good intentions of the state government in constructing roads, has “turned to sorrow due to wrong channelling of the flood” by the construction company that handled the road project at Inland doors Nkpor-Umuoji Road.
Oghota said, “The damage is regrettable. We have not witnessed this type of flood in our community in 25 years. It is regrettable what the bad work of the construction company has caused to us and we appealed to the state government to come to our aid.”
One of the landlords in the area identified as Dr Alex, told the PUNCH that “This is what we woke up to see on Friday morning. The floods caused by the heavy rains on Thursday broke into our houses and damaged properties and farmlands. I am a pig farmer, it swept away my pigs.
“The floods pulled down many fences and walls. It also broke into a building where a family of five were living. The flood entered their apartment while they were asleep, and carried the mother and her three children away, their father managed to escape it. It was in the morning that residents saw the lifeless body of the woman.
“The bodies of the three children were also found somewhere else in another location, fortunately, they were still alive as of the time they were found and they were quickly rushed to the emergency unit at the Royal Hospital, Nkpor, where they are recovering.
“A lifeless body of another yet-to-be-identified man was also found in the flood. He must have also been swept away from his compound to that place. The losses as a result of the flood are very devastating and heartbroken. Houses were submerged and properties were destroyed. We have never experienced this type in the last 25 years.
“It is caused by the construction firm that channelled floods coming from Ogidi, Umunachi, Eke Nkpor and Obosi to the layout that has no Sacamori that can accommodate such heavy flood instead of channelling it to the River Niger. The Member representing the community in the House has been notified and the community has been asked to write a letter of complaint and send it to Awka, we expect the relevant authorities to look into this situation.”