Flood overruns Warri, victims cry over losses

.............Tidi, Omatsuli promise government’s intervention

By Rita Ossai

The Oil City of Warri in Delta State, was on Friday September 6, overran by flood, following the rains that fell for most part of Thursday afternoon and night, till Friday morning.

Areas affected included large expanse of Ekurede-Itsekiri Community, Ubeji Community, Ugbori Community, Olomu Street, Ighorue Street, Okumagba Avenue, Okumagba Estate, Ode-Kporo Quarters Okere, Ginuwa, Esisi, Upper Erejuwa and Swamp Roads.


Worst hit was Ekurede-Itsekiri Community, where residential houses, shops, undeveloped plots and business premises, were literarily  submerged, leaving some inhabitants of the densely populated community trapped in their various homes, as they tried to rescue some of their belongings.



Observers were worried that should the prediction of heavy rains cum flood for the months of September and October by NIMET, becomes reality, then major parts of Warri would be totally submerged.



A team comprising Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Dr. Michael Tidi and the Commissioner representing Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality in the Board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Hon. Griftson Omatsuli, which went round Warri to ascertain the extent of the flood, identified causes of the flood to include blocked drains, indiscriminate dumping of wastes and erection of structures on natural water-ways.

Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Dr. Michael Tidi, while reacting to the flood situation, stated that the political will to tackle the flood was not lacking in the state government as the Okowa administration had previously set up a committee to tackle the problem.



Dr. Tidi advised those directly affected by the flood to seek temporary abodes with their relatives as efforts were on going to address the flood headlong.



Hon. Griftson Omatsuli on his part, assured that the management of DESOPADEC, will immediately deploy materials with a view to opening up blocked drains and water channels, so as to mitigate the situation.