Kamsi Anayo, Anayo
No fewer than 30,000 persons have so far been displaced by the perennial flood disaster in Anambra state.
As a result of this development, the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has established 13 Internally Displaced Persons Camps ahead of an evacuation exercise.
According to the officials of the agency headed by the Executive Secretary Mr Paul Odenigbo, government has concluded arrangements towards evacuating the victims to the camps.
This was made public when the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in collaboration with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) commenced on the assessment tour of flood affected communities in the state in order to ascertain its current water level.
The assessment was carried out in Anambra West, Anambra East, Ayamelum, Ogbaru, Awka North and Ihiala Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
According to Odenigbo, the essence was to aid the NEMA and SEMA teams in reporting the current situation to the Federal and state governments respectively.
Also speaking, the South East Zonal Coordinator, NEMA, Mr Thinkman Tanimu assured that his Agency would ensure they collaborate with SEMA in getting succour to the people affected by flood.
He noted that during their early warning sensitization visits with SEMA to some communities in the state, farmers were advised to harvest their farm inputs before the flood comes.
The Zonal Coordinator, however, pleaded with the flood victims to move into holding camps provided for them by the state while they await succour from the Government.
Odenigbo said, “The essence of this joint tour with NEMA and SEMA is to avail the Agencies the opportunity of having first hand information on the extent of havoc caused by the flood in the state and report back to the Government.”
According to him, preparations were on to evacuate the flood displaced persons into holding camps until the waters recedes.
The SEMA Boss then pleaded with Federal Government on building embankment on rivers to stop water from ravaging communities.
Transition Committee Chairman, Anambra West LGA, Mr. Felix Ikechi who was part of the Assessment team, commended SEMA and NEMA for their untiring efforts towards mitigating the plight of the people.
He pleaded with the State Government to come to their aid as their communities have been completely submerged. “Our farmlands, schools and churches are already under water,” he said.
Mr Amaechi Uyamadu, a native of Enugu-Otu, Aguleri explained that the 2022 flood was like that of the year 2012.
According to him, his house have been submerged by water. He has relocated his wife and some of his kids to the holding center while returning to convey the rest of his family members with boat.
“We are tired of this kind of life,” he exclaimed while pleading with the Federal and State Government to find a lasting solution to the flood menace and provide assistance to them.