River Niger Floods Submerge Houses, Churches in Delta

Thousands of residents living on the banks of River Niger in Asaba, Delta State, have fled their homes and evacuated their belongings due to rising tide from the Niger that has inundated many houses, churches, business premises and streets.

The river last week overflowed its bank due to persistent rainfall in Asaba in the last few days, which residents said, worsened the situation for the residents of Asaba including Infant Jesus area of the state, thereby displacing scores of residents from their homes.

Abuta quarters, which lies on the bank of River Niger is one of the areas badly hit by the rising water of the river as residents have mobilised tricycles and wooden canoes in their apparent desperation to escape from the looming disaster.

The pastor of Pasture of Life Christian Assembly, one of the buildings heavily flooded in the Abuta quarters by Thursday, when THISDAY visited the area, was busy evacuating whatever he could savage with the help of some members.

The minister, however, declined to talk with our correspondent, saying simply, ‘’I am very busy as you can see.’’

Deeper Life Bible Church (DLBC) and Celica Church of Christ buildings in the area were also deserted alongside other residential houses in the area as they had been submerged by Thursday evening. Some residents said they had already moved their valuable things to safer areas in higher parts of the city and neighboring communities.