—We have been on this for over 25 days – Residents

—Let govt sandfill our communities – Community leader

—Over 5,000 displaced after weeks of flooding 

By Enaibo Asiayei and Loveth Ojogun

Heavy flooding has submerged over 14 communities and displaced over 5,000 people from their houses in Gbekebor Federated Communities, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

Residents of some of the communities who spoke with GbaramatuVoice in Gbekebor Town on Saturday said that the communities had experienced massive flooding in the last 25 days.

They said that the flooding had wreaked havoc in the affected communities destroying all their livelihood and properties worth millions of Naira.

Some of the communities submerged include Gbekebor, Fankoro, Asiaghagbene, Okosugbene, Aya-ayorogbene, Otitirigbene, Finegbene, Okofagbene, Oporopogbene, Amayarengbene, Mile 15, Takwagbene, Okegbene, Oruwaregbene, and others.

Chairman of Gbekebor Federated Communities, Mr. Blessing Etuele, said that over 14 communities were submerged by flood in the area.

Mr. Etuele said that over 5,000 people had been forced to evacuate their homes and were now sleeping on top of the community jetty and other makeshift buildings.

According to him; “We cried to GbaramatuVoice. Let them come and see things for themselves what we are passing through and let them pass the message to local, state and federal governments. The flood has rendered our communities homeless. We don’t have anywhere to stay.

“The only platform we have is this wooden and concrete jetties, which in the next two days might be submerged by flood. Even our normal fishing and farming activities have been overtaken by flood.

“We are seriously suffering. Look at the children and women here. We all are crying. No food and no medical care.

“The elderly people are very sick, no means of treatment and we are about going into extinction.

“We are appealing to the government to relocate us and sandfill our communities: the only alternative to solving the problem.

“Our people are going through untold hardship as many have been without food and clothing for days,” he stated.

He said that some of the victims in Gbekebor communities had been sleeping on Jetties and other open places.

He said that even the only primary school have been covered with flood, as they are calling for urgent intervention from the Delta State Government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to come to their aid.

He said that the victims had lost their means of livelihood as their fishing and farm activities were also washed away by the rampaging floods.

Ambassador Anthony Alapala Ebitonmo, political leader and a native of the community, also called on the Burutu Local Government Council, Delta State and Federal Government to come to their aid urgently.

Ebitonmo stated, “Hundreds of houses in Gbekebor have submerged. Our fishing materials, farm activities and others have been washed away. Our people are at the mercy of God as we speak right now.

“The predicament of my people right now is beyond what anyone can describe. Our plea goes to not only the government but also lro humanitarian organisations and international bodies to come to our aid immediately.”

Support Quality Journalism in the Niger Delta Region

Join us in our mission to bring development journalism, cultural preservation, and environmental awareness to the forefront. Your contribution makes a difference in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta. Donate today and be a part of the change!