Flood Victims Along Epie Creek In Yenagoa Groan, Appeal For Assistance

Onopa, Yenogoa submerged under flood

Residents along the Epie creek in Yenagoa on Wednesday lamented the impact of flooding caused by the overflow of the waters from Taylor creek, tributaries of Orashi and Niger rivers.

Our reporter who visited the river side settlements quotes the residents as saying that the water levels rose above tolerable limits on Tuesday.

Joy Elvis, a resident at Onopa area in Yeagoa said that the people were helpless as the assistance pledged by the state government in its sensitisation messages were not in sight.

“It has not been easy, the water levels have been on the increase and it is usually expected at this time of the year, but on Tuesday the flood entered our houses and we have been under pressure.

“We need help badly but no one seems to care, we have resorted to moving some of our valuable things to neighbours houses because there are no shelter provided by government.

“Our prayer is that the water goes back because if it goes beyond this level, even the good Samaritans accommodating us will be threatened as well,” Elvis said.

John Abide, another resident said that they have been compelled to use local canoes to access their homes following the constantly rising water levels in the past few days.

“A lot of people affected are not willing to leave because they are reluctant to be a burden to their kit and keen, so what most people do is to adapt by making wooden platforms within their houses where important things are kept.

“Those who have and paddled canoes have put it to use when they have need to go out, we are predominantly people who go to the river regularly to fish so we are not so afraid of water,” he said

Meanwhile the Bayelsa government  hadon Monday said it is determined to ensure that no life is lost in the flood disaster that is currently ravaging the state.

Commissioner for Information, Daniel Iworiso-Markson who made the remark in Yenagoa while giving an update of the situation assured that with the proactive steps government had put in place, there was no cause for alarm.

He explained that the government is working round the clock to ensure that those whose houses have been submerged by the flood gets immediate succour.

Iworiso-Markson urged the people not to panic as the government is fully committed to their plights and is doing everything to avoid a repeat of the 2012 flood incident.

According to him, latest report indicates that communities like Egwe-ama in Brass Local Government, Imiringi, Ayama, Otuobhi in Ogbia, Edwarie in Southern Ijaw and Trofani in Sagbama have all been hit by the flood.

Others he said are Ekeremor main town, Abukoegede in Tamogbene, Ekeremor Local Government Area,  Kaiama and Sampou in Kolokuma/Opokuma and Anibeze Community in Sagbama local area.

He called on residents of the state who live in flood prone areas to work with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other relevant agencies of government for immediate evacuation to temporal sites away from their homes.