By George Odok
Calabar, – No fewer than 20 houses including farmland have been destroyed by flooding following the heavy rains in Calabar, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The heavy rains which started at about 9 p.m. on Wednesday evening to the early hours of Thursday, also forced some residents in Calabar South to vacate their homes for safety.
Assessing the extent of the flood in parts of Calabar South on Thursday, Mr Princewill Ayim, acting Director General of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), told NAN that ”most of the houses affected were erected along the waterways’’.
Ayim said that the flood affected parts of Calabar South including Target road, Ebito, Atu, Musaha, Murray and other streets including farmlands at Anantigha by Slaughter road.
According to him, some residents of the affected areas have been temporarily displaced from their homes.
He added that the agency had continued sensitisation on the need to shun erection of buildings along the waterways.
He said that although no life was lost in the flood, economic activities and farming were affected and properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed.
“The heavy rains that fell between last night and the early hours of today have caused havoc in parts of Calabar South. Over 20 houses were flooded and properties worth millions of Naira destroyed.
“At Anantigha street in Calabar South, over five farmland were destroyed by the flood and the farmers can no longer harvest their crops because most of the crops like maize and cassava were uprooted by the flood prematurely.
“Also, the flood had caused an artificial lake behind the Anantigha market and over 15 houses are said to be in danger because the scope of the artificial lake is expanding every time it rains heavily.
“I want to appeal to the Federal Government, the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) and other relevant government agencies to intervene in this artificial lake by constructing standard drainages to direct the water ways,’’ he said.
NAN observed that the police post in the area had also been abandoned by police personnel due to incessant flooding at the Slaughter road in Anantigha.
The director-general advised people living in the affected areas to relocate to higher ground for their safety.
According to him, the heavy rains being witnessed in the state and flooding were expected to increase.
At Ebito Street in Calabar South, one of the victims, Mr Okon Asuquo, who was seen removing his wet furniture from his house, told NAN that his house was always flooded whenever it rains.
“My house is always affected whenever it rains heavily. I would have loved to leave this area ever since but I don’t have anywhere to run to or who to carry my family to for shelter.
“I want to appeal to the state and Federal Government to come to our aid by creating better drainage system to ensure the free flow of water,’’ he said.
Earlier, Ms Sarah Akan, whose farmland was affected, said she lost all her crops to the flood.
She thereby appealed to the State government to assist her financially to move to another area for farming.
