Heavy rain destroys houses, farms in Calabar

Heavy rains have sacked residents of Calabar from their houses and destroyed farmlands. No fewer than 20 houses were affected following the downpour, which started on Wednesday night till the early hours of yesterday.

Residents in Calabar South and Calabar Municipality who were affected by the flood lamented of their losses. In Ebito street of Calabar South, one of the affected persons, Mr. Okon Asuquo, who was seen removing his wet furniture, lamented that his house is always flooded whenever it rains.

According to him, “my house is always affected whenever it rains heavily. I would have loved to leave this area but I don’t have anywhere to run to. I want to appeal to the state and federal government to come to our aid by creating better drainage system to ensure the free flow of water.”

In Ikot Edem, Calabar Municipal local government area, Mrs. Justina Egbe, said she and her family have been forced to leave their house to live with a family member because of the flood.

Assessing the extent of damage, the Director General of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Princewill Ayim, told newsmen that most of the houses affected were erected along the water channels.

Ayim said the flood affected parts of Calabar South including Target road, Ebito, Atu, Musaha, Murray and other streets including farmlands at Anantigha by slaughter road. According to him, some residents of the affected areas have been temporarily displaced from their homes.

“I want to appeal to the Federal Government, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant government agencies to intervene in this artificial lake by constructing standard drainage to direct the waterways.”

The DG who feared that this year’s rain would cause more havoc to the affected areas advised residents to relocate for safety reasons.