By Obiabin Onukwugha
Thousands of residents have been displaced following sustained rainfall between August and September in parts of Rivers State.
Affected areas include Obigbo in Oyigbo LGA, NAF Harmony Estate, New GRA, Eneka, Rukpokwu, Iriebe Housing Estate, Alakahia, Atali, Mgbuoba, Rumuokparaeli, Ogbogoro, Egbelu, Cornerstone and Iwofe in Obio-Akpor LGA, and Peter Odili Road in Port Harcourt LGA.
Residents reported floodwaters at breast level in some communities, forcing families to abandon homes, with churches shut and schools disrupted.
A resident of Eneka, Mrs. Vivian Osuji, told our correspondent on Tuesday that her family had abandoned their apartment on Rumuosita Dike Street.
“Thousands of persons have been displaced. The water is up to breast level in some areas. Churches have shut down and children can no longer go to school. Reptiles and fish are swimming in the water,” she said.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) had earlier listed communities in Rivers among over 1,900 communities projected to experience severe flooding this year.
Some residents blamed the flooding on indiscriminate waste disposal, blocked drains, construction on waterways and failure to enforce environmental and urban planning laws.
A resident, Mr. Wenenda Wali, said the state needs massive desilting of drains and strict enforcement of environmental laws.
“We dispose of refuse anyhow and see gutters as refuse dumps. People are building on waterways. Until drains are desilted and laws enforced, flooding will remain a recurring problem,” he said.
Residents have called for urgent intervention in communities where floodwaters have entered homes and disrupted livelihoods.
