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The Inyimagu and Ekpa-Omaka communities in Ebonyi State‘s Ikwo Local Government Area have been hit by a tragic flood disaster, which has claimed the life of Mrs. Ozoemena Ugbaga, a 21-year-old expectant mother.
A search is underway for three others who remain missing, feared to have been swept away by the floodwaters.
Mrs. Ann Aligwe, Commissioner for Human Capital Development, verified the tragic event, stating that the deceased mother of three was not alone in her fate. Multiple others sustained injuries of varying severity while trying to escape the flood’s wrath, and the search continues for three missing persons.
According to Mrs. Aligwe, the state endured a relentless and heavy rainfall from July 18 to 20, leaving a trail of impact on multiple communities across the state.
The affected communities, as mentioned by Commissioner Mrs. Aligwe, are Unagoke, Mgbo-Mgbaja, and Onuebia in the Onuebonyi area of Izzi Local Government, as well as Igbudu and Ekpa-Omaka communities in the Ikwo Local Government Area of the state.
“On the 18th and 19th, we witnessed several flooded areas in Abakaliki. We visited the areas and discussed with the victims. On the 20th, we witnessed another heavy downpour that lasted for several hours.
“All the axis of Onuebonyi, Unagoke, Mgbo-Mgbaja and Onuebi. We went to all the areas to discuss and evacuated all the victims in the area.
“When we thought that the flood had subsided, we had a terrible report that there was a severe flood in Igbudu and Ekpa-Omaka in Ikwo local government. A pregnant woman died in the flood disaster. We have three others missing.
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“We have visited the area. We had to use a boat to access other Communities in the area”, the Commissioner said.
She noted that apart from the farmlands that were destroyed, properties were also destroyed by the flood.
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“Most of the rice, yam and cassava farms were all destroyed. Unfortunately, we lost a life. We have been urging people living around the waterways to relocate to other areas or the IDP camps”, she added.
The Commissioner expressed regrets that despite the sensitisation and enlightenment programmes by the state government for people to relocate, the people did not adhere to the warnings.
“We never knew we would have such a sad story,” she lamented.
Mrs Aligwe said that on hearing the ugly incident, Governor Francis Nwifuru immediately dispatched a rescue team to the area to evacuate all the victims who have now been safely relocated to a safer area.
She further noted that the Governor has also mandated the Ministry to communicate the incident to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), noting the level of devastation for possible distribution of relief materials to the affected victims.
Aligwe also disclosed that her ministry has commenced distribution of relief materials to the affected persons, assuring that the state government will not relent in assisting the victims.
