Rampaging flooding in Delta, bridge collapses in Bayelsa 

By Shina Badmus

It’s a not good time for residents of Warri in Delta state following untold flooding that sent residents packing on September 6, 2019. Many residents were hapless; those who could not pack their properties from their different abodes, were seen scooping water out of their homes.

Some analysts said that the destructive flooding was following the rainfall of Thursday morning in the city. These analysts believed that Warri has been experiencing torrential downpours for months, but this was the first time the water level got to the peak this year.

Many who went to sleep with intentions to wake up and begin the day’s hustle were given another job outside their schedule. Rising up to discover their flooded homes, they began scooping out the water.

Even children were not left out in the scheme of things, as they helped their parents to bail out the water with buckets on their heads. The flood damaged many property, covered roads and hindered movement of people.

Some of the residents who spoke to GbaramatuVoice narrated their ordeal, describing the situation as terrible.

They confirmed that their different properties were destroyed by water. The water drenched their television, chairs, stereos, clothes, among others.

The flood also left some residents outside because of the pool of water inside their homes. Exhausted and not knowing what to do they sat outside under a shade with their hands on their jaw.

Moving towards PTI Junction, a police vanand other vehicles, were spotted trapped by the flood along the road. Market places which would usually be full with those buying and selling were deserted; people were busy tending to the disaster caused by the rain.

A lady, known only as Ms Essay, who had a provision store, was observed lamenting. She narrated how all her foodstuffs that included rice, bean, garri, were consumed by water. Her fridge, television set, were also submerged.

Some landlords in the area described the situation as unprecedented. They added that though when it rained water usually filled the road but never a time had it entered people’s homes. The cause was attributed to the poor drainage system in Warri.

Across Delta State there have been deafening lamentations of flooding. However, some residents described the state as one that lacked good drainage system and this has been affecting the proper channeling of water.

Albeit, Warri was not left alone in this debacles. There was tragedy in Elebele community, Bayelsa state; the same day flooding took over Warri. A bridge that linked Ogbia local government area and Otueke Community, the home town of former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan collapsed.

Our reporter gathered that the collapse occurred as a result of heavy weight exerted on the bridge from a truck carrying granite to a construction site on Thursday.

Residents said the bridge, which crossed a major creek, connected several communities in the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, covering the three local government areas of Ogbia, Nembe and Brass to Yenagoa.

Although no life was lost, but many travellers were said to have been stranded after the bridge collapsed. Our source said that, “It was learnt that the bridge was first constructed in 1986 with wood and iron by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited. The bridge was said to have broken in 1989 and was not reconstructed till 1990 before it collapsed again on Thursday.”

A chief of Elebele community Mr. John Jacobs, said, “This bridge is very important to us because this is the only road to and out of our community at short distance.”

Jacobs therefore called on the SPDC and the state government to act fast and have the bridge fixed.