From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
About 20 houses and business premises have been submerged by flood at Amauzairi in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State following a downpour which started Saturday morning.
A community leader, Collins Anoro, said in the last two months the local government area has suffered torrential rainfall which had led to the loss of property worth about N100 million even as majority of indigenes have relocated to neighbouring communities.
He said those morse affected were from Okwele community and that many businesses have folded up owing to the impact of the flood. Bakery owner in the community, Bernard Ezebuike, who confirmed the development told Daily Sun that had given up on reactivating the bakery.
“There is no point staying there again. I have lost almost all my life savings trying to check the flood but to no avail.The last time I bought 50 bags of cement to control the flood; the cements where packed inside the factory and as I was proposing to use them the following day, flood damaged all.”
Another victim, Chibuzo Enyioha, who sells fried plantain at Okwele, said she lost a food items like beans and yams to the flood on Saturday.
Chikwem Onuoha said the community has spent over N5 million trying to ameliorate the flood, but regretted that all their efforts had proved futile.
“We have decided we may relocate to Nwangele Local Government nearer to us, since that is the only passable road we have to Amauzairi. We can no longer access our own road except we go to Nwangele, the best thing is for all of all us to go to that place and stay,” he said.
