Flood hits Anambra villages, destroys farmlands

Almost the entire communities in Anambra West local government area are currently grappling with a surging flood that has submerged houses and destroyed household items and farmlands.

The eight agrarian communities worst hit by the flooding included Umuikwu Anam, Oroma Etiti, Umuemyi Anam, Umueze Anam, Umuoba Anam, Umiata Anam, Olumbanasa and Umudiora Anam.

Simon Onuora, chairman of the local government area, told newsmen in Nzam near Onitsha on Friday that the economic and social activities of the residents had been stalled due to the flooding.

Onuora said that farmlands, crops, school buildings and educational infrastructure as well as household property worth millions of naira have been submerged and destroyed.

“The current development is beyond what we can handle as a grassroots government; the destruction could be put to the tune of N500 million. We are not only mindful of what is destroyed already but how to take care of the feeding, shelter, hygiene and medicare of the thousands of our people displaced.

“We are making efforts to ensure that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross Society take a trip to this area and see things for themselves. I am calling on the government and humanitarian agencies to come to our aid,’’ he said.

The traditional ruler of Umiata Anam, Igwe Sylvester Nnose, appealed to philanthropists to come to the rescue of the people.

Nnose noted that the situation was pathetic and deserved urgent and immediate attention, especially to stem loss of lives due to hunger and lack of hygiene.

“The truth is that what we are experiencing now can be likened to that of 2012. I want to use this medium to call on governments, faith-based organisations, corporate bodies, groups and philanthropists to intervene as quickly as possible,’’ the monarch said. (NAN)