Residents cry out as flood hits Anambra

Residents of Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area and Ifite-Awka in Awka South LGA, Anambra State, are grappling with severe flooding after days of persistent rainfall submerged numerous houses and farmlands. The downpour, which occurred on Sunday and Monday, has left many families stranded and forced to seek refuge in upland areas, prompting urgent calls for state government intervention.

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Items destroyed by the flood include musical instruments such as pianos, amplifiers, and other electronic equipment, in addition to church documents and official records. Although the church had experienced flooding in the past, the magnitude of Sunday night’s disaster was unprecedented since the church moved into this area.

The perennial flooding has significantly disrupted daily life, causing extensive property damage and halting economic activities in the affected communities. Youths, traditional leaders, and community stakeholders have expressed deep concern over the "increasingly severe" impact of the disaster. Reports indicate that the floodwaters have destroyed structures, including the headquarters of a Pentecostal church, along with valuable goods and documents.

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Some residents erected structures on waterways originally designed to channel floodwater into a nearby canal and the situation had continued to trigger perennial flooding here.

Residents and property owners in Ifite-Awka were seen evacuating damaged belongings, while those in Ogidi were attempting to clear water from their homes and businesses. Many residents attribute the recurring flooding to a combination of poor town planning, indiscriminate construction of buildings, and inadequate oversight by the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority. They argue that weak enforcement of building regulations has allowed developers to build on natural waterways, obstructing water flow.

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The church was among the earliest occupiers of this neighbourhood and had complied with approved building plans and drainage designs. Unfortunately, subsequent developments by other property owners have worsened the flood situation. We never envisaged this kind of flood challenge.

Reverend Sam Ufo, District Head of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Ifite-Awka, described the damage to the church premises and auditorium as unprecedented. He noted that while the church had experienced flooding before, the recent disaster overwhelmed their reinforced fences and those of neighboring properties. Rev. Ufo highlighted that subsequent developments by other property owners have exacerbated the flood situation, worsening the perennial problem despite the church adhering to original building and drainage plans.

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We raised and reinforced our fences to prevent floodwater from entering the compound. Unfortunately, the rainfall on Sunday night pulled down our fences and even those of our neighbours, the Redeemed Christian Mission, forcing massive floodwater into our premises.