Fifteen persons have lost their lives in severe fl ooding in 21 communities in Cross River state in July and August this year.
Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, John Inaku, made the disclosure yesterday while assessing the extent of damage in fl ooded areas in Calabar South.
Four major streets in Calabar South, including Goldie, Target, Yellow-Duke, Ekpo-Abasi and others were heavily fl ooded after a down pour early yesterday.
Inaku listed local government areas in the state aff ected by fl ooding as Obudu, Yala, Ogoja, Boki, Etung, Ikom, Obubra, Abi, Biase, Akamkpa, Odukpani and Calabar South.
According to him, no fewer than 21 communities in 12 local government areas of the state have been fl ooded with thousands of residents displaced.
Inaku told NAN that crops such as cassava, yams, groundnuts, okro, vegetables and other cash crops had been destroyed by the fl ooding.
“Between July and August this year, we have witnessed 217 fl ood cases in 21 communities in 12 Local Government Areas of the state.
“Sadly, 15 people have lost their lives to the tragic incidents.
Seven died in Biase, four in Ogoja, three in Yala and one in Obubra Local Government Areas.
“We are appealing to the state and federal government to look into the plight of these people, particularly Biase people, where water washed away people while they were asleep.
“Some of the victims died as they went to harvest their farm produce while others died while trying to safeguard their canoes and fi shing nets,” he said.
Th e director-general, however, warned residents in Calabar metropolis to stop dumping refuse in water channels, saying that such acts were blocking drainage and causing fl ooding.
One of the fl ood victims in Calabar South, James Okon, who was seen removing valuables from his house, said the area usually witnessed fl ooding during the rainy season.
(NAN)
