Health
Cross River flood victims lament, seek government support
Emem Julius
Residents affected by flooding in several communities across Cross River State have appealed to the Federal and Cross River State governments for urgent intervention after a weekend downpour destroyed homes, farmlands and business premises.
The victims, who spoke in separate interviews with PUNCH Online on Sunday in Calabar, described the flooding as one of the worst in recent years, saying it swept away property, destroyed food items and disrupted their means of livelihood.
Residents of Webber and other parts of Calabar South Local Government Area recounted how the flood submerged homes and destroyed valuables.
One of the victims, Etim Bassey, an indigene of Nkakad Ikot Ekriba residing in Atamunu, Calabar South, said he had to carry his five-year-old son on his shoulders to prevent him from drowning.
He said, “Since 3:00 am on Thursday, water got into my house and destroyed every household item. Chairs, a flat-screen television, beds, fridge, and even my clothes were destroyed.
“The water got to my neck, and I carried my five-year-old child on my neck. If the water got to my neck, you can imagine what would have happened to a five-year-old child.”
Bassey said the prolonged rainfall overwhelmed drainage channels in Calabar, displacing several families.
He estimated his losses at over N5 million and appealed to government agencies for assistance.
“The properties damaged and destroyed by the flood are worth more than N5 million. I want to appeal to the state government and all other federal emergency agencies to come and help us out of this kind of situation,” he said.
Another resident of Big Qua community, Oscar Daniel, said the flood damaged household appliances and affected dozens of families.
“All our appliances are damaged, and over 30 families were affected within this vicinity alone. We need government intervention, especially in the construction of underground drainage and the covering of the entire stretch of the Calabar channel to check the overflow of floodwaters.
“The water level has risen significantly, and if measures are not taken immediately, this is what we will be experiencing often, and more damage will occur,” he said.
Another victim, Henry Okon, called for proper maintenance of the Calabar channel and urged the government to construct additional drainage channels across the metropolis to cope with increasing volumes of floodwater.
Other affected residents also appealed for relocation assistance and urged government officials to visit the communities to assess the extent of the destruction.
“Our government should be intentional about the lives of the people. If the existing water channels are not functioning, our government should intervene, and new ones should be constructed to help the situation in Calabar,” one of the victims said.
However, the Head of Operations at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Uyo Operations Office, Aisueni Mmandu, had on Friday, during an assessment of flood-affected communities in Calabar, which submerged several communities and left many residents stranded, called for stronger collaboration among government agencies and communities to reduce the impact of floods across the state.
She attributed the recurring floods to poor environmental sanitation and urged residents to stop dumping refuse into drains and waterways.
“The indiscriminate disposal of refuse, particularly plastics and other non-biodegradable materials, has continued to block drainage channels and worsen flooding across vulnerable communities,” she said.
Mmandu said the agency would intensify public sensitisation campaigns on flood prevention and disaster preparedness across the state’s 18 local government areas.
“You must know that you are your environment. For the affected communities, you must adopt responsible environmental practices to reduce recurring flooding and prevent avoidable loss of lives and property,” she warned.
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