ASABA/Nigeria: The people of Ndokwa nation had felt the pang of nature as most communities in the that are below sea level had been submerged by the rampaging flood what.
A visit by Ndokwa Reporters to most of the communities in two of the local government areas, Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West, the story was that pain and anguish, as properties and farm lands in the area had been washed away.
At the ponton, which is the closest link between Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West, when our correspondent visited, many families were seen stranded at the Beneku end of it as the Ponton,which is the only means of crossing the Ase River, cannot move effectively due to rise in the water level.
At the bank of the river were littered properties ready to be transported to safety, uprooted farm produce, quickly harvested to salvage a little for the family. In the face of the people was found anguish, loss of hope, but seek a way to safety, before they will be trapped.
At the beginning of the warning to evacuate the low areas, Ndokwa Reporters had cause to inform some people in Beneku of the pending doom, that they should gradually start moving their loads, but that was never headed.
However, unlike the 2012 scenario, the people were able to act fast as the level of water continued to rise.
With the rising water level, even the Governor of Delta state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, order the State Emergency Service to go into every corner of the creek, and fish out every Deltans to safety. But from the narrative of the president general of the apex body of Ndokwa Nation, Ndokwa Neku Union, NNU, many are not ready to leave their ancestral homes, especially the traditional rulers of most of the communities affected.
According to the NNU leader, High chief Johnson Opone, from the findings of the body, the flood has ravaged about 90 percent of Ndokwa East, including part of Ndokwa West. In his word,
“The Flood has ravaged 90 per cent of Ndokwa East. Towns in Ndokwa West are also flooded. The farmland and crops, goats, fishing ponds, domestic animals and fowls, economic trees, homes and properties are being submerged by water.
According to him, the body is playing a supervisory role in the area, and they had visited the Internally Displaced peoples Camp setup by the state government in Ossisa, Kwale and Ashaka to assess the facilities.
He reported that the flood had had affected area, as the farmland and crops, goats, fishing ponds, domestic animals and fowls, economic trees, homes and properties are being submerged by water.
Lives are in danger for those trapped and properties worth billions of Naira lost.
“NNU team is using speed boat across Ndokwa east towns and villages calling on our people to be evacuated as the water level is rising daily”.
“I have called some traditional rulers and some opted to remain in Ndokwa East. I assured them that completed facilities are now available in Ashaka and kwale.”
The NNU according to the PG had decided to open a relief account, to be called NNU Flood Disaster Account” to assist victims of the flood in the area, as he stated that all donors will be publicly acknowledged.
The ethnic leader however is asking the governments to act fast to caution the effect of the flood in the area.
