The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says it has activated temporary shelters for people displaced by flooding in parts of Rivers State.
Downpours in recent days submerged roads and properties in parts of Oyigbo, Eleme and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, forcing residents to abandon their homes.
Chidi Ogundu, NEMA’s Head of Operations for the Port Harcourt Operations Office, which covers Rivers and Bayelsa States, said: “Currently, we have past the stage of giving earlier warnings, which we did earlier this year. This time around, we’re on response.
“Capacity building, stockpiling of relief materials are still ongoing, and identification of possible IDP camps is already set for the areas that are prone to this disaster.
“Last week and three days ago, two local governments were affected seriously—that is, Oyigbo local government and Eleme, because some areas have been impacted, as a result of the heavy rainfall which caused flooding in these areas.
“What we did was to quickly ask them to move to the already identified IDP camps, so as not to be overwhelmed, by most of the things happening there. Likewise, in Eleme, I was with the local government chairman of Eleme yesterday trying to make sure that they start evacuation to those areas.”
Ogundu called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to ensure effective disaster response.
He said that the agency had earlier gone to communities to carry out capacity‑building for youths and potential volunteers, adding: “That was what really helped. They were able to evacuate those who were already trapped because they had the skills and the systems to get people out. They now have to start moving toward the IDP camp, which we already told them about.”
“I went there with the state government, and I’m going to have a meeting either with the deputy governor concerning this so that they can now begin to do their own part to complement the effort of NEMA. As we are bringing our own, the state needs to bring something. By right, this is not above the coping capacity of the state,” he said.
Residents in parts of Rivers State have borne the impact of the flooding from days of heavy downpour, with some forced to flee their homes and to shut down businesses.
Residents of Rumuoperali, Rumuodomaya and Rumuokwachi communities in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area on Tuesday called on the state government to urgently address the persistent flooding, which they said is destroying property, disrupting livelihoods and posing serious health and safety risks.
Meanwhile, some residents of Graceland Community in Oyigbo Local Government Area abandoned their properties after roads became impassable, due to the floods.
They urged the government to prioritise the construction of proper drainage systems, saying lasting infrastructure would provide a permanent solution to the recurring flooding.
