Flood Submerges Buildings, Kills One, Displaces 651,000 Persons In Anambra…NEMA
No fewer than 651,053 persons across six Local Government Areas in Anambra have been affected by flood which is currently ravaging parts of the state.
Mr Thickman Tanimu, Ag. Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) disclosed this to newsmen in Awka on Saturday.
Tanimu who said the Agency had undertaken an assessment tour of the flood situation in Anambra.
He confirmed that a 65 years old man identified as Mr Ginikanwa Izuoba of Enugu-Otu, Aguleri in Anambra East LGA was killed following the collapse of his building. .
The Coordinator said Ogbaru had the highest number of affected persons with a total of 286, 000 followed by Anambra West and Anambra East LGAs which had 237,000 and 103,000 victims respectively.
He said Awka North LGA had 10, 345 affected persons while Ayamelum had so far recorded 9,240 and 5, 468 displaced persons respectively.
He said the communities NEMA visited in company of Anambra State Emergency Management Agency included Umueze-Anam, Mkpunando, Umunteze, Igbedo, Inoma Ifite-Ogwari in Anambra East and Ayamelum LGAs.
“The assessment team observed that the flood has submerged houses, farmlands, schools, health centres, Police Stations and Churches and and other critical infrastructure.
“We did the assessment tour with a boat because the access roads to the various communities visited have been submerged by water,” he said.
He commended Anambra SEMA for taking some proactive steps including identification of 13 IDPs camps, recruitment of camp managers and support staff, activation of health workers to work with people in the camps.
He however pointed out that the only camps so far activated were: Health Centre Ifite-Ogwari and Igbakwu Health Centre.
“The assessment tour is the first step the Federal Government has to take. We have reported our findings to management and based on that, they can now deploy relief materials ias appropriate.
“These will include clothing, diapers, bedding, sanitary materials, food items and other as considered priority in view of the enormity of the challenge, but i want to assure they will come as soon as possible.
“We once again advise villagers to move to the holding camps to avert further loss of life,” he said.
