No fewer than 5,000 people from two communities of Koloware and Aven in Patani Local Government Area of Delta have been rendered homeless, as flood submerged their homes.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that East/West Road has been converted into a camp for displaced persons, as part of the road on the Patani axis had been cut off by the flood.
NAN further reports that children and the aged are the worst-hit as cold, hunger and sickness had become rampant in the camp.
The displaced people, who took refuge on the East/West road side of their respective communities, told the NAN on Monday that they were yet to receive aid from government.
They said that they had not seen any government official, politician or organisation to identify with their plight since Sept. 29, when they took refuge on the road.
Mr Kingdom Oba, from Koloware community in Delta, explained that the flood started gradually on Sept. 3, and continued increasing to the extent that mud houses collapsed, while houses built with cement block were submerged.
“We ran out of the village two weeks ago and took refuge here because by then, everywhere in the community was flooded.
“We lost our farms, our trades because some of us are fishermen. Children are no more going to school; we all ran to this East/West road because we believe that the tarred road is a dry place to stay,’’ Oba said.
He said that the greatest challenges faced by the people include the absence of drugs, hunger, cold, ailing condition of the children and the aged.
Mr Friday Owei, also from Koloware community, said that one of his twins had been in critical condition due to cold and the lack of medical attention.
“We are sleeping on this East/West Road since the flood melted our mud houses, entered our cement houses and destroyed our property.
“The flood came in a rush so we could not salvage most of our property in the rush to save our life. Please, we need a rescue mission,’’ Owei said.
Mr Prebi Orudu, from Aven Community, also in Delta said he was able to evacuate his household and his 80-year-old mother, but that he had problem providing food for them.
Orudu, who is the Principal of Ogoeze Secondary School, Bomadi, Delta, said that he had not been to school since the incident occurred.
He said that all the displaced persons on the road were those, who did not have any relations in the cities, adding that women, the aged and children were more vulnerable.?
“We have resorted to begging money from the motorists and we use the money to buy fish and garri. We need light here, kerosene, blankets and food; here is very dark.
“We made waterproof hut for the women, children and our old mama and papa, but still the cold is terrible, we need urgent help,’’ he said.
Mrs Florence Peibowei, from Koloware community in Delta, said she did not know how long they would be with the cold, as the flood was still surging and even covering the road.
She asked, “How long are we going to stay here before help will come?
“We are dying gradually because almost all of us are sick; we drink flood water, we are no longer doing anything; all our farms, homes and our trade are gone, can we survive this?’’
Mrs Lovina Ebenawei, from Aven community, said that some of their children were lost in the flood as houses collapsed and the flood intensified.
She said that even in their makeshift camp, their chances of survival were becoming minimal as days go by due to cold and hunger.
“Please tell government to come to our rescue; we are obedient Nigerian citizens; we go to polls during election; we have not seen anybody from government.
“We don’t know where our politicians have gone to; tell them that they would come again for votes and this is the time to campaign,’’ Ebenawei said.
NAN reports that the East/West Road is cut off by the flood, forcing motorists on the Warri/Port Harcourt axis to sleep on the road.
Transporters have converted the area into a terminal where they would off-load their passengers for boats to ferry them across to the other side of the road.
According to one of the drivers, Mr Michael Udoh, when we off load them here, they cross over to board other vehicles plying their destination, while we collect those passengers that crossed over here.
“By this, the passengers will reach their destination safely,’’ he said.
NAN further reports that other communities submerged by the flood include parts of Mbiama, Odi in Rivers, Patani, Uduophori, Sagbama, Patani, Umeh and others along the bank of the Niger in? Delta.
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