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Flooding in
FRSC Office Port Harcourt after heavy rainfall
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Rivers
State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike (right), yesterday visited some flooded areas
in Port Harcourt . Here, the governor inspects a flooded site, close to the
Federal Road Safety Commission headquarters along Port Harcourt-Aba Express
Way. With him is Liaison Manager of Julius Berger Plc, Sam Ngbor.
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| Governor Wike advised residents of Port Harcourt to stop dumping refuse in water channels |
He
empathized with all residents affected by the flooding, assuring
that his administration will work with relevant agencies to
resolve the issues thrown up by the flooding.
Speaking after
he inspected some areas impacted by flooding caused by two days of torrential
rainfall, Governor Wike directed the
relevant government agencies to take immediate remedial
measures.
The
governor inspected the flooded areas in Port Harcourt with Julius Berger
engineers and officials of the State Ministry of Works.
He
directed the continuous de-silting of all major canals in
the town.
Governor
Wike advised residents of Port Harcourt to stop dumping refuse
in water channels. He said such actions lead to
blockage of water channels, which leads to flooding.
The governor stressed that he will take some tough steps to ensure that the state will not experience such devastating flooding.
The governor stressed that he will take some tough steps to ensure that the state will not experience such devastating flooding.
Sam
Ngbor, Liaison Manager of Julius Berger Plc assured the governor that
the company will work with the state government to resolve the
challenges posed by the flooding.
Meanwhile,
the state government also advised the people to avoid building residential
houses on natural water ways.
The
Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Environment, Dr. Emmanuel Urang,
gave the charge while he and other Permanent Secretaries monitored the flooding
situation in parts of Port Harcourt at the weekend.
Urang
advised residents of the city to complement government effort by desilting the
drains in their vicinities and avoid building residential houses on natural
water channels.
Meanwhile, thousands of Port Harcourt residents are still counting their losses, following heavy flooding that ravaged most parts of the city and its environs.
The flooding submerged thousands of houses, roads, streets, and destroyed valuable belongings and rendered many homeless across the city.
Meanwhile, thousands of Port Harcourt residents are still counting their losses, following heavy flooding that ravaged most parts of the city and its environs.
The flooding submerged thousands of houses, roads, streets, and destroyed valuable belongings and rendered many homeless across the city.
The
flooding was as a result of the heavy rains, which started in the wee hours of
last Saturday, and lasted till yesterday afternoon, leaving a tell-tale of
agony and frustration.
Some of the worst hit areas were the Rumukalagbor, Elekahia, Nkpogu, Abuloma, Azuabie, Amadi-Ama, D/Line, some parts of Diobu, including Sangana, Bende, Uyo and Afam streets, Elioparanwo, Ogbogoro, Rukpokwu, Rumuodomaya, Mgbuoba, Rumuigbo and communities along the Ohiamini, Nta-Wogba, Waja, among others in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt local government areas.
Some of the worst hit areas were the Rumukalagbor, Elekahia, Nkpogu, Abuloma, Azuabie, Amadi-Ama, D/Line, some parts of Diobu, including Sangana, Bende, Uyo and Afam streets, Elioparanwo, Ogbogoro, Rukpokwu, Rumuodomaya, Mgbuoba, Rumuigbo and communities along the Ohiamini, Nta-Wogba, Waja, among others in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt local government areas.
At
GRA Phase three, many residential and business areas were flooded.
This include parts of the mechanic village, close to the Rivers State
Environmental Sanitation Authority in Mile 3.
At
the Immanuel Anglican Church, GRA Phase Three, the Vicar in-charge, Rev
Soye Young-Itiye said the flood was knee-deep and worshippers had to relocate
to a mechanic shed opposite for yesterday’s service. Young-Itiye appealed
to Rivers State Government to construct a drainage in the area to
ease the flooding in the area.
At Rumukalagbor, residents were completely displaced.
At Rumukalagbor, residents were completely displaced.
According
to one of the victims, Miss Mercy Nwifii, who spoke with The Tide, houses were
entirely flooded, making people to keep vigil all night as there was no place
to sleep.
Narrating their ordeals, Nwifii said, “all the houses were flooded, with their properties floating on the water. We did not sleep throughout the night, as we were busy, trying to re-arrange our belongings above water level. It was a terrible experience.”
Another victim, Mr. Chinedu, Amadi, said, his electronic appliances and other belongings were destroyed by the flood.
Narrating their ordeals, Nwifii said, “all the houses were flooded, with their properties floating on the water. We did not sleep throughout the night, as we were busy, trying to re-arrange our belongings above water level. It was a terrible experience.”
Another victim, Mr. Chinedu, Amadi, said, his electronic appliances and other belongings were destroyed by the flood.
He
further disclosed that children suffered most in the disaster, but added that
the adults were quick to adjust to ease the pains.
According
to Chinedu, his material loss was huge, but immediately added that he was more
bothered about the damage done to his intellectual property (books).
“My greatest loss is the damage done to my books, all my collection of books, has completely gone”, he lamented.
“My greatest loss is the damage done to my books, all my collection of books, has completely gone”, he lamented.
At
the Ohiamini axis of Port Harcourt, residents were spotted scooping the drenching
water from their houses.
One
of the residents, Maria Naabura, said the debris from the flood emptied into
people’s houses.
She
called on the state government to, as a matter of urgency, address issues of
perennial flooding in the state capital to save the residents from suffering
colossal damages.
The Chapel of Victory Road that leads to Mummy B Junction at the GRA link road to Stadium Road was entirely flooded with vehicular movement heavily obstructed.
The Chapel of Victory Road that leads to Mummy B Junction at the GRA link road to Stadium Road was entirely flooded with vehicular movement heavily obstructed.
The
Elekahia-Nkpogu Junction axis of Trans Amadi in Port Harcourt under
construction by Ronnier Construction Company (RCC) was also flooded and
impassable.
At Aba Road axis of Port Harcourt by the Nta-Wogba Creek, residents were displaced and many valuables submerged, with their property completely damaged.
At Aba Road axis of Port Harcourt by the Nta-Wogba Creek, residents were displaced and many valuables submerged, with their property completely damaged.
The
Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) building on Port Harcourt-Aba Road was
taken over by flood, with all the vehicles packed in the premises submerged in
water.
Some residents of the adjoining streets of the Aba Road axis, who spoke with The Tide blamed the flooding on the overflow of the Nta-Wogba Creek’s bank.
Others attributed the heavy flooding to the sandfilling project at Eastern Bypass, and called for proper channelling of water to the sea to reduce flooding in the affected areas.
A senior officer of the commission, who confirmed the incident, in a telephone interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, said that some officers were also trapped in their various office.
Some residents of the adjoining streets of the Aba Road axis, who spoke with The Tide blamed the flooding on the overflow of the Nta-Wogba Creek’s bank.
Others attributed the heavy flooding to the sandfilling project at Eastern Bypass, and called for proper channelling of water to the sea to reduce flooding in the affected areas.
A senior officer of the commission, who confirmed the incident, in a telephone interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, said that some officers were also trapped in their various office.
The
officer, who spoke under condition of anonymity, however, said that something
was being done to bring out those trapped as a result of the submerging of the
FRSC premises by flood.
A
visit by The Tide to the affected areas, show that apart from the FRSC
premises, many houses on Sangana, Uyo, Bende and Afam Streets, parts of D-Line
and GRA were submerged, while residents are now counting their losses as a
result of the flood.
Some of those who spoke to The Tide blamed the situation on the overflowing of the Nta-Wogba Creek, occasioned by the two-day down pour.
Some of those who spoke to The Tide blamed the situation on the overflowing of the Nta-Wogba Creek, occasioned by the two-day down pour.
Speaking
with The Tide, the Chairman, Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Committee,
Chinwo Town, in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Prince William
Chinwo, blamed the flooding on the continuous building of structures on water
rights of way.
Chinwo,
also condemned the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on rivers and creeks.
He said that the continuous dredging and reclamation of land without recourse to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was harmful to the city and its environs.
According to him, people must ensure regular desilting of drainages as well as clean their surroundings.
He said that the continuous dredging and reclamation of land without recourse to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report was harmful to the city and its environs.
According to him, people must ensure regular desilting of drainages as well as clean their surroundings.
Also
speaking, another resident, Jude Uzodinma, called for the enforcement of extant
environmental laws against the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drainages
in the city.
Uzodinma also called for laws to check the proliferation of structures along water rights of way while urging government to come to the aid of residents of Sangana and neighbouring streets, who have lost their property to the flooding.
Uzodinma also called for laws to check the proliferation of structures along water rights of way while urging government to come to the aid of residents of Sangana and neighbouring streets, who have lost their property to the flooding.
Photos: Flooding
In Port Harcourt After Heavy Rainfall
Vanguard reports that the
heavy flood yesterday that affected many parts of Port Harcourt, took over the
office of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Rivers State. The flood that
emanated from the overflowing of a canal on Aba-Port Harcourt expressway
submerged over 10 cars including the operational vehicles of the FRSC.
The
heavy down pour, Saturday and Sunday caused flooding in many areas in Rivers
State, including Aggah Community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government area,
some part of Rumuosi in Obio/Akpor, parts of Rumuolumeni and others.
At
press time, all attempts to reach Sector Commander in charge of Rivers State,
Mr. Imoh Jonah Etuk, were fruitless, but a senior officer of the command who
pleaded anonymity said: “The whole of D/Line area of Port Harcourt flooded.
Water after the heavy rain yesterday and today, overflew the canal close to the
FRSC office.
The FRSC office and a mechanic workshop there were submerged. “FRSC cars were also submerged. The drainage is too narrow for the water to flow through under the CFC flyover. The flood overflew the drainage and affect residents and offices.”
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