17/09/2023
Floods wreak havoc in Lagos, Delta, Anambra, sweep away motorcyclist
Floods due to torrential rainfalls have left many across the country in gruelling situations. The floods, wreaking havoc in parts of Lagos, Delta and Anambra states among others, displaced scores from their homes, robbed many of their valuables, led to the loss of life and the postponement of palliative works scheduled to begin on the Third Mainland Bridge today.
Tragedy
In Lagos, a heavy flood swept away a commercial motorcycle at Papa Ashafa in Orile Agege area of Lagos State yesterday.
The Zonal Coordinator, South West, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Farinlonye, who confirmed the incident, said: “One motorcycle rider simply called Mr. Abe has swept away after refusing to heed to warnings from his colleagues not to ride along the Ile Epo Busstop canals in Alimoso Local Government Area of Lagos State.”
Postponement
Also, the Lagos State government announced indefinite postponement of the palliative works scheduled to begin on the failed sections of the Third Mainland Bridge today.
The postponement, it was gathered, became necessary due to the downpour experienced in all parts of the metropolis yesterday.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, in a statement, explained that the downpour affected the preliminaries of the planned palliative works on the asphalt pavement of the bridge by the Lagos State Public Works Corporation, LPWC.
“A later date, which will be subject to weather conditions, will be duly communicated for the palliative,” the statement read.
Sack
In Delta State, floods in the Ndokwa East Local Government Area displaced residents from their homes.The flood, it was gathered, resulted from days of unabated movement of volume of water from the River Niger into the community as the river overflowed its banks.
Worse hit is Aika Ezeolu quarter of the community where water is said to have levelled with the River Niger.
Sources said most of the residents have moved out of the community to higher grounds while others have not.
Reacting to the development yesterday, Secretary of the Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Mr. Felix Edemanya said: “We have already told and alerted the people to take precautionary measures so that they will not be cut off by the flood.
“They should safeguard their valuables and move out. Now that it has happened, they should move to a safer haven because the council will not want to lose anybody as a result of negligence.”
Also, floods have displaced scores of residents of Polobubo/Tsekelewu community in Warri North.
President Polobubo blocks of communities, Mr Paul Toruwei told Sunday Vanguard that the situation was bad, forcing victims to depend on canoes for movement within the community.
Protest
Meanwhile, in Anambra State, students of the Metallurgical Training Institute, Onitsha protested disruption of academic activities on campus by flood.
The students, who demonstrated last Thursday in large numbers, said floods had taken over the institution and paralysed academic and non-academic activities.
He said: “Flooding has been an issue in the institution, but it was worsened because the government recently commenced flood control process by removing an existing drainage inside the school, but they didn’t put the necessary measures in place to mitigate flood.
“They commenced flood control during the rainy season, but now, they have abandoned the work and as we speak now, the whole institution is flooded.
“Students properties are being destroyed, our beds, mattresses, learning materials, laptops, pots of soups have been washed away.”
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Owoh Ugochukwu, blamed Anambra State government for the development.
He said: “The flood issue has lingered for some years now, but the school authorities are doing their best. The flood is as a result of the state government channelling waters that come from Obosi, Nkpor, Onitsha-Owerri Road and environs down to the school.
“But before then, we had a smaller drainage which was carrying little water, we made a case to the state government and other relevant agencies, but the state government came and excavated the existing drainage in the name of expansion, but the work has been abandoned and there are no alternative measures put in place.”
The President of the Student Union Government of the institution, Chigozie Onyenyili, who spoke to journalists, expressed dissatisfaction over the current situation faced by students, highlighting that they had been forced to stay awake every night due to flooded hostels and the subsequent destruction of their belongings.
