Cross River | Flood destroys over 4,000 houses, 13,000 farms

Flood destroyed no fewer than 4,070 houses and 13,147 farms in Cross River in August and September 2016, the state Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA) said on Tuesday.

The Director-General of the agency, John Inaku, gave the figures while addressing journalists in Calabar.

Mr. Inaku said 46 communities in seven local government areas were affected by the flood.

According to him, the local government areas are Ikom, Etung, Obubra, Biase, Yala, Abi, and Ogoja.

“From our statistics, 36 houses were destroyed by flood in six communities in Ikom, while 16 houses were destroyed by flood in five communities in Etung.

“Fifty-six houses were destroyed in six communities in Obubra, 902 houses destroyed in seven communities in Biase, and 1,131 houses were destroyed in nine communities in Yala.

“Also, 29 houses were destroyed by flood in four communities in Abi while 1,900 houses were destroyed in nine communities in Ogoja.

“On farmlands, 221 farms were affected in Ikom, 76 in Etung, 3,100 in Obubra, 2,150 in Biase, 1,200 in Yala, 1,800 in Abi and 4,600 in Ogoja,” he said.

He expressed sadness that most of the occupants of the affected houses were farmers and local government workers.

The director-general said that CR-SEMA had offered some relief materials to those affected by the disaster.

“So far, we have provided relief materials such as foodstuffs to the majority of them. We have also moved a large number of the displaced persons to a higher ground where they are safe.

“The state Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has promised to put resources together so that we can build a permanent camp for the displaced persons.

“We have already acquired two boats used in evacuating the affected people to a higher ground.

“The governor is putting things together in order to make life comfortable for them,” he said.