A traditional ruler in Ndokwa area of Delta State, southsouth Nigeria, has reportedly drowned during evacuation from his domain. His identity was still being withheld on traditional grounds.
The traditional ruler was said to have drowned when the boat he was being evacuated with capsized. His death brings to three persons that have drowned in the state since the flood started on 17 September.
The tragic news came just as about 7000 persons were yesterday discovered to have been trapped by the devastating flood in Ewulu community, Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.
The victims are calling for government’s intervention in evacuating them to safer areas. It was observed that the access road to the community has been completely submerged.
However, the people resorted to using locally made canoe to evacuate whatever they could salvage of their property.
The state Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama had visited the community and directed the Ministry of Transport to make vehicles available for the evacuation of victims.
Although there was yet to be resettlement camp close to the community, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah who also visited the scene assured that necessary steps were being taken to provide relief materials and rescue the trapped victims.
Ogeah also called on the federal government to take urgent steps to provide alternate route to access the eastern part of the country as the flood is gradually encroaching on the busy Onitsha-Asaba-Benin expressway.
Many shops, hotels, motor parks, government offices, retail outlets, shacks and makeshift structures have been submerged by the flood.
Flood victims from displaced communities are also taking temporary refuge along the expressway at the risk of being run over by heavy duty vehicles.
The victims, who seemed so attached to the left over of the properties, are obviously adamant about registering at the resettlement camp opened by the state government at the St. Patrick College, Asaba.
Ogeah pleaded with the Federal Government to immediately set a machinery in motion to arrest the trend, warning that the East will be cut off from other parts of the country as a result of the rising water level.
“The Federal Government should address the surging flood in Delta especially on the Asaba-Onitsha road which is in serious danger of being cut off. Should that happen, the Eastern part of the country will be severed from the Midwest,” he stated.
The commissioner also appealed to the federal government, donor agencies, NGOs and well-meaning individuals to come to the aid of the state government in providing succour to the victims.
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