By Ephraim Emmanuel
Several homes in Nyade community of Aleto, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers state, have been submerged following intense weekend rainfall, leaving scores of families displaced and destroying property worth millions of naira.
Desperate residents and property owners are now calling on federal, state, and local governments for urgent humanitarian intervention and flood mitigation as rising water levels continue to ravage the area.
Displaced homeowners described the sudden flood surge as devastating. Clement Ambrose, a property owner in Nyade, recounted the sudden disaster that forced him out of his home.
“The floodwater came as a complete shock. I can’t sleep in my house anymore—the water has risen to window level,” Ambrose said. “I am currently forced to lodge in a hotel.”
The disaster has also escalated safety and public health concerns. A mother of three in the community appealed directly to construction firms handling nearby infrastructure projects to drain the trapped water, warning of hazardous conditions.
“The floodwater comes with snakes and dangerous pests; our lives are at serious risk,” she lamented. “We have never experienced anything like this before. We need immediate help.”
Local farmers are equally reeling from the impact, forced into emergency harvests to salvage what remains of their livelihoods. Abigail Oluka, a farmer in Nyade, expressed her despair as she uprooted her premature crops.
“I was forced to harvest my cassava early because the flood has completely taken over my farm,” Oluka explained. “If I don’t uproot it now, all my hard work will be in vain, and I won’t have the money to feed my family.”
A site visit to the community confirmed widespread displacement, with families struggling to salvage personal belongings amidst standing floodwaters. Affected residents continue to urge relevant authorities to provide emergency relief supplies, establish temporary shelter facilities, and open up drainage channels to prevent further destruction.
