Flooding Woes: Rumuigbo Residents Call For Urgent Intervention

With the erratic rain timetable occasioned by climate change, watching the flood or guarding against it has become a hectic task for many, especially those in coastal communities.
While it had been predicted severally that there would be heavy flooding this year and that Niger Delta States would be affected, there was hope among many that Rivers State would escape this year especially as the year had come into the third quarter without much incident. That hope was dashed following the heavy rains of Friday, October 26, 2024.
After many hours of rainfall, many places in the city and the communities became flooded bringing victims to another round of pain and losses. The flooding was so unexpected, forceful and destructive with victims still counting their losses. National Point visited some flooded areas in the Rumuigbo axis and spoke with the victims.
Mr Victor Ifeanyi Wankpe, a 15-year resident in Rumuosi, Rumuigbo has been twice a victim in the past but he did not expect the flood this late October. Said he, “The overflow of Ohiakaraka flooded my house in 2016 and 2020. In the 2020 heavy flood, we lost all valuable properties, same like this year’s flood. 2020 was after seven days’ rain. We have been outside for one week, still waiting for the house to dry up even though the water from the river has receded.
“Electronics and other valuable properties were destroyed. Nothing has been given to us as palliative.
There was presence of media but no intervention agency surfaced, even till now. The residents of
Rumuomosi have been left to their fate”.
He traced the flooding to the reconstruction of the Rumuigbo/Federal Govt College linking/Rumuomoi/Rumuorosi which he said did not properly provide for ease of water flow into a bigger channel.
He suggested the construction of a proper drainage of acceptable standard; expansion of the road, promotion of healthy sanitary practices, refusal to cover or liter drainages with plastic cans, bags etc. Mr Wankpe decried the lack of action by the Urban Development Ministry over blockage of waterways, “We have reported to Urban Development Ministry for action concerning building on top of the drainage by Alhaji at Transformer, Rumuomosi and buildings along waterways,” he stated.
Counting the losses of victims, he said another victim, Sam lost many bags of cement to the flood. Sam lives across the Ohiakaraka River in Rumuomosi community while a female food vendor, lost three bags of rice to the flood in her store. Another woman lost a bag of garri and other food items as her store along the Transformer area, was submerged in water.
The flood victims are calling for government’s urgent attention to address their plight. “What we are asking for is compensation and urgent intervention by building of effective standard drainage system from Rumuigbo to Ohiakaraka, replicating what was done on Orazi drainage to Ntawaogba for easy flow.
“We also need government presence to implement and effect sanitation laws as regards environment. We lost household properties, business time and business.” Wankpe stressed.
A few affected families are still hanging out waiting for water in their premises to go down. When National Point revisited the area on Wednesday, clothes and soaked mattresses were still being sunned.
Another woman who hawks moimoi (beans pudding) residing on Amadi Street lamented that the rain has caused colossal damage for many there especially, those living in shanties (batcher houses).
“The rain caused serious damage. Everywhere was water, water as high as my hip and fast running. All our things were floating. “Since that Friday we have been picking up our things, washing, cleaning and sunning our properties.
Scattered houses are being rebuilt. I couldn’t even do my cooking for days. It has been terrible. The agent that brought me here did not tell me that it floods here. He was only interested in his commission, now I am suffering the pain” she lamented as she worked on her space. She said the only respite was from the fact that children were on midterm.
For Mr. Monday Seseguma, who operates a block industry in the area, the shock of watching water swallow his wares is yet to wear off. The flood swept away his heaps of sand, destroyed the
moulded blocks and rose high enough to submerge the bags of cement he stored in his metal warehouse.
“I was just watching, helpless as the water washed away the sand and scattered the blocks. I thought the cement stored in an elevated platform would be safe.
As the water raged, I could only watch for I couldn’t think of where to take the cement. I kept saying, ‘stop! Stop! As the water attacked my store. You know the cost of cement. “With cement alone, I lost over 10 bags at least N100,000, then think of the sand and already moulded blocks. It has been my most terrible experience,” he said.
Children were separated from their parents who were on the other side of the valley created by the flood. Car owners parked on the road waiting for the flood to recede while families whose homes were sacked by the flood, sought refuge among relatives and friends. The flood story was the same at Tip Top Road as water covered the stretch of the road from Christ Embassy down Oasis Group of Schools flooding some houses along the road. Youths were seen bailing water from Christ Embassy Church.
The Church is also fingered as one of those blocking the free flow of water adding to the flooding incidents in the area.
At the Rumuokoro/Rumuigbo section of the Ikwerre Road starting from the Federal Government College end, through Ibologi Junction to Obi Wali Junction, the flood was so much that at least two vehicles were submerged while heavy flooding attacked many structures there.
According to a resident, Lucky Nkwor, coming back from work that day was a tough trip. We were held down at FGC for hours and when we finally got to the Rumuigbo Health Center, at least two vehicles were submerged in the flood.”
Unsure of what is to come, residents are calling on the Flood Mitigation Committee to immediately swing into action by cleaning up drainages and campaigning for better sanitation habits.
“The Amaechi administration will ever be remembered for always draining gutters, cleaning up swamps with swamp boogies,” those actions reduced the flooding in Port Harcourt. Governor Fubara should look into this area and houses on the water ways should be pulled down. The pain people go through from flooding is just too much,” Mr Emma Nsen, a mechanic area advised.