Residents of Owerri Municipal Council in Imo State have appealed to Governor Emeka Ihedioha to come to their aid, stating that flood has ravaged their buildings and other properties.
Our Correspondent gathered on Monday that a three-day rain which started on Friday and ended on Sunday had destroyed household properties and commercial goods.
The residents blamed the flooding on poor drainage system and blocking of the available drainage.
A resident, Mr. Jospeh Ikeme, who resides at No. 8, Chikwere Street, Owerri, told our Correspondent that the Saturday rainfall destroyed all his household gadgets.
He said, “The rain destroyed household goods such as upholstery, rugs, etc.”
Another resident, Mrs. Juliet Dimgba, who lives at N0 13, Tetlow by School Road Owerri, said that her commercial consignments stored in a two-bedroom bungalow flat were all destroyed by the flood.
She shared the apartment with her three children.
Dimgba, a widow who hails from Nempi in Oru West Local Government Area of the state said, “I am a petty trader who deals on any type of movable goods.
“I stored them in one of the rooms and sold from there. It was very unfortunate that the three bags of dry fish I bought and stored in the room were destroyed by the flood.
“I was in the market (Eke Onunwa) when the heavy rain started. By the time we came back, our apartment had been flooded.
“The bags of fish were submerged in the flooded room, while other house hold properties were all destroyed.”
For Mr. Mike Akamkpa of N0 81, Ihugba Street, Owerri, his children’s books and other personal effects were all destroyed by the flood.
Akamkpa, a widower who lives in one room apartment said “I am presently looking for where I can stay with my two children.
“I am starting life afresh, as I have lost all I had before my wife died last year.”
When contacted on phone, the General Manager, state Environmental Transformation Commission, Mr. Alex Emeziem, said the Commission would visit the affected areas to ascertain the extent of the flooding and to determine what could be done to remedy the situation.
He told our Correspondent on phone, “Text me the addresses of the said areas so that we can visit and know whether it is drainage problem or any other thing.” Punch
