8 June 2019
In the aftermath of the torrential rains that lasted several hours, at least 20 houses were flooded and several farmlands were destroyed in Calabar, prompting the Director General of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Princewill Ayim, to advise residents living in flood-prone areas to relocate to higher grounds.
Ayim urged residents in the affected areas to relocate to higher grounds for safety reasons.
The rains which started on Wednesday night and lasted till the early hours of Thursday, displaced some residents of Calabar South from their homes.
Ayim, while assessing the extent of the flooding in parts of Calabar South, said most of the houses affected were erected along the waterways.
He said Target road, Ebito, Atu, Musaha, Murray and other streets including farmlands at Anantigha by Slaughter Road were affected in Calabar South.
He said that no life was lost in the flood. However, economic activities and farming were affected and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
“The heavy rains that fell between last night into the early hours of today have caused havoc in parts of Calabar South. Over 20 houses were flooded and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
“At Anantigha street in Calabar South, over five farmlands were destroyed by the flood and the farmers can no longer harvest their crops because most of the crops like maize and cassava were uprooted by the flood prematurely.
“Also, the flood had caused an artificial lake behind the Anantigha market and over 15 houses are said to be in danger because the scope of the artificial lake is expanding every time it rains heavily.
"I want to appeal to the Federal Government, the National Emergency Management Agency and other relevant government agencies to intervene in this artificial lake by constructing standard drainages to direct the waterways,” he said.
Source: Punch
