15 die in 2 months in C/River flooding

Fifteen people have lost their lives in severe flooding in 21 communities in Cross River in July and August this year.

The Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Mr John Inaku, made the disclosure while assessing the extent of damage in flooded areas in Calabar South yesterday.

Four major streets in Calabar South, including Goldie, Target, Yellow-Duke, Ekpo-Abasi and others were heavily flooded after a downpour early yesterday.

Inaku listed the LGAs in the state affected by flooding as Obudu, Yala, Ogoja, Boki, Etung, Ikom, Obubra, Abi, Biase, Akamkpa, Odukpani and Calabar South.

According to him, no fewer than 21 communities in 12 LGAs in the state hadbeen flooded with thousands of residents displaced.

Inaku told NAN on the sidelines of the tour that crops such as cassava, yams, groundnuts, okro, vegetables and other cash crops had been destroyed by the flooding.

“Between July and August this year, we have witnessed 217 flood cases in 21 communities in 12 Local Government Areas of the state. 15 people lost their lives to the tragic incidents. Seven died in Biase, four in Ogoja, three in Yala and one in Obubra Local Government Areas. Some of the victims died as they went to harvest their farm produce while others died while trying to safeguard their canoes and fishing nets,’’ he said.

The director-general warned residents in Calabar metropolis to stop dumping refuse in water channels, saying that such acts were blocking drainage and causing flooding.

One of the flood victims in Calabar South, Mr James Okon, who was seen removing valuables from his house, said the area usually witnessed flooding during the rainy season.

According to Okon, efforts by residents in the area to draw the attention of government to their plight had not yielded any result.

“The issue of flooding in this area has been given less attention by the state and Federal Government,’’ said Okon. (NAN)