When it rains, it floods in Abuja
Flood has become a recurrent decimal in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) each rainy season.
In many instances, it leaves in its wake death and destruction.
Many rural communities bear the brunt more by being cut off after heavy downpours.
Cases of bleeding manholes, flooded streets and indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drainages are common in several areas in the territory. These unwholesome practices culminate in flood during the rainy season thereby exposing lives and businesses to danger.
The death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olisaemeka Akamukalem in Gwarinpa, after a torrential rainfall swept his car revealed that floods are not limited to rural areas but also highbrow areas in the territory.
Many streets in Garki, Wuse, Asokoro and Central Business District become impassable after a downpour usually when drainages become blocked.
“Emeka Anyaokwu Street is known for this, when it rains the road becomes terrible especially the portion before the traffic light that leads to Nicon Luxury,” Nuruddeen Adebayo, a taxi driver said.
In Hulumi, an urban slum, more than five houses have been pulled down by floods while several families have lost loved ones in Zhiko where residents are cut off after heavy downpour thereby making healthcare and other necessities of life inaccessible.
Residents of Gada-Biyu community in Kwali Area Council, have been victims of deluges in the area, especially farmers.
Some farmers said whenever there is a torrential rainfall, they suffer heavy financial losses as their crops always get washed away by flood.
They said no rainy season passes without them suffering losses running into millions of naira to flood due to a river in the area that always overflows.
Malam Yahaya Dan Baiwa, who has been farming in the area for 12 years, said he incurs losses from flood annually.
The vegetable, maize and okra farmer said flood destroyed most of what he planted at the peak of the rainy season.
“Three weeks ago, all my farms including the bridge were flooded. And some time last year, the same happened and FEMA even came here to assess the damage,” he said.
A resident of Abattoir-Zango, Gwagwalada, Ibrahim Bawa, said people in the area are also affected by flood.
He said dumping of refuse in drainages also contributed to the flooding.
Residents of Abattoir in Abaji Area Council have also always been victims of flood especially at the peak of the rainy season.
Some residents, including people living at the new extension, have always been affected by flood with their houses submerged by flood on several occasions.
The havoc wreaked by the flood affects houses especially those built with mud bricks. Some residents said they have not recovered from a recent heavy pour that destroyed some mud houses and uprooted trees.
The flood washed away some farm produce on the bank of the stream and also flooded some shades.
“There is no rainy season that a part of my house will not collapse. I always use old roofing sheets to cover the place before repairing it during the harmattan,” Saidu Ismaila, a resident said.
Another resident, Mr Israel Ayuba, said all major roads linking to Abattoir and the new extension are in a state of disrepair due to erosion caused by flood.
“The last time it rained, I had to abandon my car across from the market and trek home because flood had taken over the road,” he said.
Some residents of Gbagalape won’t forget in a hurry the flood that killed a commercial motorcyclist in the community. A witness, Isaac Ihyom, said the motorcyclist had attempted picking his machine which was swept into the gutter when he was also swept along with it.
All attempt to rescue him failed until the body was found in another community. Ihyom said flood has also washed away a substantial portion of the roads that lead to the community adding that in some cases, residents have to park their vehicles at Nyanya and trek to their houses.
Also in Karu, several residents now take alternative routes to their homes as flood has washed away the culvert.
The Vice Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Lawrence Onuchukwu, while donating some relief materials to some flood victims in Karu had reiterated the commitment of the council in ensuring the safety of residents especially in the face of natural disasters.
The Director General of FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Abbas Idriss identified Gwagwalada, Kubwa, Kwali and Abaji among areas prone to flood but added that there are some flash points which are associated with the activities of the people either by indiscriminate dumping of refuse or building on the water ways
Idriss said there are many flood cases in the territory and with the heavy rain forecast, sensitisation have been increased to ensure that people are warned earlier in order to avert disasters.
“We have sent early warning messages and we are going to all the area councils to enlighten them about the impending floods. We are also collaborating with the AMAC chairman, Abdullahi Adamu Candido and his team to work around the city because most of the floods in the FCT are within the AMAC area councils,” he said.
He urged residents to be vigilant and always keep their environment tidy desist from building on waterways and stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse.