By Ann Azuka
Coastal communities in six Local Government areas of Delta North, eight in Delta South, five in Delta Central and some strategic roads, including a section of the East-West Road, have been submerged by flood waters.
The Director General (DG), Orientation Bureau in the state, Eugene Azuka Uzum disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Asaba.
According to Uzum, as a proactive measure to mitigate the effect of flooding, Delta State Government, through its Flood Disaster Management Committee, headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah, has increased the flood Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps from the initial three to 10.
He listed some of the locations to include Asaba, Ashaka, Utagba-Ogbe, Ewulu, Ofagbe, Patani, Alaka, Isoko axis, among others.
Uzum said two additional camps were being set up by the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission ( DESOPADEC) in Ughelli and Ashaka to complement the effort of the state government.
The DG further stated that relief materials distribution centres had also been established close to the displaced persons camps, while adequate arrangements had been made for feeding and health needs of the flood victims in the various camps.
He said the Flood Disaster Management Committee was collaborating with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Office of the Senior Political Adviser to the Governor and traditional rulers to ensure a seamless evacuation of victims to the camps and their proper coordination.
Uzum pointed out that the statistics of displaced persons were being taken, revealing that there were 2,844 persons in the Ofagbe camp, 298 in Ewulu, 1,539 in Ogbe Afor Primary School in Asaba and 691 persons in Isoko Central School, in addition to pregnant women, lactating mothers and persons with special needs.
The DG said the 2022 flooding was becoming more challenging than what was experienced in 2012, with more coastal communities being submerged on a daily basis with the increase in rainfall.
He maintained that the state government was passionate about the safety of the people in this critical moment and urged residents of affected communities to quickly move to the camps to minimise losses.
