Nkwere Inyi and Ugwuoba communities in Oji River Local Council of Enugu State have been thrown into distress following flooding around the Ozom Bailey bridge, cutting off movement and disrupting daily life.

The flooding has rendered the area impassable, spreading across farmlands and washing away economic trees.

The fast-moving water, which covered the entire stretch of the bridge, also overwhelmed a large section of the dilapidated road linking the Nkwere Inyi and Ugwuoba communities.

A video of the incident that went viral on social media showed the bridge, recently repaired through community efforts, submerged, with residents struggling to move through the flooded area.

Market women and men who had used the bridge earlier in the day were stranded, unable to navigate their way through the gushing water.

A voice in the background of the video called on the state and local governments to come to the aid of Nkwere Inyi, stating that residents could not leave their homes if the water did not recede.

Residents have appealed to the state government, stating that without immediate remedial action, they would be cut off from the rest of the state, as accessing the communities remains extremely difficult.

A community spokesperson, John Agu, told The Guardian yesterday that the Bailey bridge was built during the colonial era, emphasising the need for a new bridge.

He added that the flooding followed a heavy downpour, noting that many families kept their children at home for fear of them being caught in the flooded area.

“Nkwere Inyi and Ugwuoba are in dire need of help to avoid humanitarian and economic crises. We have completely been cut off at the moment. We need the government to come to our rescue,” he lamented.

When contacted, the Chairman of Oji River Local Council, Greg Anyaegbudike, who had expressed a desire to react to the development, did not respond to subsequent calls and text messages on his mobile phone.