30,000 displaced in Ebonyi flood disaster

By Our correspondent

The Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA)has disclosed that no fewer than than 30,000 people, including children in six local government areas of the state were displaced after flood submerged farmlands, livestock and houses.

The agency’s Acting Executive Secretary, Chibueze Iteshi, confirmed the disaster on Friday in Abakaliki, the state capital.

“About 30,000 persons are currently displaced by flood across the state. It affected infants, children from one to 12 years old, adults from 18 to 49, 50 years old and above at the camps. When the disaster occurred, about 95 per cent of the children stopped going to school because the school structures might have also been affected,” Iteshi said.

“There were fears that the roofs of the school buildings might have been blown off by storm.The schools appeared no longer accessible to the children,” he added.

According to him, the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NIMET) and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) predict the heavy rains.

Iteshi, who said that the children were in different nursery, primary and secondary schools in the affected local government areas, appealed to United Nations Children Emergency Funds (UNICEF) to come to the aid of the children.

He said the agency were finding it difficult to cope with the displacement, adding that the agency has commenced has commenced inventory of the affected persons and communities.

Iteshi disclosed that the agency had inaugurated 13 Local Emergency Committees (LEC) across the state to mitigate the effect of flooding in communities.

According to him, the committees had the responsibility of promoting community enlightenment and prompt response activities for the reduction of flood in communities.

Iteshi, who commended the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on its commitments toward disaster management measures, also showered praises on the state government for providing logistics for strengthening flood management and sensitisation campaigns across the state.