At least four persons were feared dead, while many sustained varying
degrees of injuries, following the flooding that swept through some
communities in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
Similarly, several hectares of farmland were completely submerged,
even as tons of farm products harvested by farmers, were equally lost
to the flood.
Vanguard reports that already, scores of families, mainly farmers,
have relocated to safer grounds, while some others remained trapped in
the flooded communities at the time of going to press.
One of the villagers told Vanguard yesterday: "The use of canoe is now
the only means of getting to their homes."
"Many people, who could safely climb trees, did so, when they noticed
that the flood had not only swept across the exit routes, but also
growing dangerously with time."
While saying that many were still trapped in the flood areas, the
villager also bemoaned the huge losses recorded by the people since
the deluge started.
Confirming the ugly situation during an interview, an official of the
National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr. Quintus Oramalu, said
at the last count, over 60 houses had been submerged by flood.
He appealed to other citizens living in the affected communities to
relocate immediately to safer grounds to avoid any avoidable disaster.
Vanguard recalls that no fewer than 23 communities in Oguta local
government area suffered grave consequences during the 2012 flooding.
It would also be recalled that prior to the current flooding and
reported loss of lives, the Imo office of the National Orientation
Agency, NOA, carried out series of sensitization exercises in the
flood-prone areas of Oguta and Egbema local council areas
of the state.
-Vanguard
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