*’Since I Was Born, I Have Never Seen This Kind Of Flood In My Life. The Flood Has Destroyed All We Have Laboured For This Year’
*Human Suffering High, Lives Displaced, Residents Take Refuge In School
*Urgent Action Needed From FG, ENSG, Others
By Sylvia Kodilichukwu, Enugu
No fewer than four communities in Aninri Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State –Mpu, Okpanku, Ndiabor and Oduma– have been ravaged by a devastating flood that displaced residents and destroyed houses, shops, rice mills, farmlands and other property worth millions of naira.
The flood, which began on 20 September (last Sunday), worsened on Tuesday and Wednesday (today), submerging parts of Afor Okpanku, Ivo Bridge and adjoining roads.
Over 10 houses reportedly collapsed yesterday, while rice, yam and cassava farms were washed away by the rising waters.
As of press time, residents were evacuating their families and belongings to safer locations as heavy rainfall continued in the area.
The Councillor representing Mpu Ward, Hon. Edwin Ogbuka, described the situation as life-threatening, saying several houses and farmlands had been affected.
Ogbuka, who called for urgent government intervention, attributed the flooding to the overflow of water from the abandoned Ivo Dam project.
A community leader in Mpu, Mr Chukwu Magnus Dele, said six villages in the community had been affected, with displaced residents taking refuge at Amachalla Town School.
He appealed to the government and relevant emergency agencies to urgently provide relief materials and other assistance to the victims.
Similarly, the Youth Leader of Okpanku, Mr George Ahaefuna, described the disaster as unprecedented.
“Since I was born, I have never seen this kind of flood in my life. The flood has destroyed all we have laboured for this year.
“It has destroyed our crops, rice and yam farms worth millions of naira. I am appealing to the Federal Government (FG), Enugu State Government (ENSG), Aninri Local Government, NEMA and SEMA to come to our aid,” he pleaded.
A shop owner at Afor Okpanku Market, Mrs Patricia Chukwu, said goods worth millions of naira had remained submerged for two days.
“This development is devastating. This is the worst flood that has affected Okpanku in my generation.
“If you go inside the villages, you will see houses destroyed by the flood. I urge the government, public-spirited individuals, the Senator representing Enugu West, the House of Representatives member, the local government chairman and the House of Assembly member to assist those whose houses were destroyed to rebuild them, so they can return home,” she said.
The flooding was still worsening as of press time, with rain continuing to fall and more buildings and farmlands coming under water.
Residents said Okpanku had experienced major flooding on previous occasions, with community accounts citing 1939, 1965 and 2026 as major flood years.
Speaking on the incident, Chairman of Aninri Local Government Area, Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, expressed concern over the natural disaster, saying flooding occurs twice yearly in some parts of the area due to the uncompleted Ivo Dam project.
He said stakeholders were planning a joint visit to the dam to assess the reservoir and explore possible repairs to prevent further flooding.
“I felt sad the moment I heard about the incident. Most communities in Aninri have been submerged by flooding, such as Okpanku, Mpu, Uhuezeoke in Ndiabor and parts of Ezineshi in Oduma.
“Crops, houses and businesses were destroyed. We are assessing the situation to know the level of damage this has caused,” he said.
Efforts to reach the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for their reactions were unsuccessful as of press time.
*PHOTO CAPTION: An affected building in the area.
