Ten buildings and an electric transformer were submerged in the aftermath flood of Monday’s rainfall in Agu-Awka, Anambra State.
Residents said the flood destroyed property worth millions of naira.
Some said they had been experiencing the ordeal during rainy seasons in the last five years, even before the 2012 flooding.
They expressed fears that it may be worse this year when the rains set in fully and called on the government to correct the drainage work.
Mrs. Jacinta Walters, a resident of Nwakpadolu Estate said she had lived in the area for three years and her apartment had been flooded five times, with valuables destroyed.
Walters attributed the flooding to the bad drainage.
“My television, mattresses, certificates and children’s academic files were destroyed; my house was filled with water up to window level, and you can see my children scooping water out of the house.
“The neighbours here are not around but we broke the door to save their property; their kitchen and toilets are already under the water,” she said.
Another resident, Mr. Okafor, said the flood endangered the people as reptiles, such as snakes and crocodiles, were seen floating on water after the rains.
Okafor said the submerged transformer was a threat as residents could be electrocuted if there was spark or leakage.
A landlord, Chief Joseph Nwakpadolu, said the flooding was caused by the enormity of flood channelled to the area from Agu-Awka, Arroma and Nkwo-Amenyi.
He said the drainage channel to control these floods was inadequate and appealed to the government to remedy the situation.
“The situation here is always bad during the rainy season, our farmland has been submerged, buildings are endangered and lives are not safe.
“The flooding from the channel rushes into the estate because the culvert there cannot carry the water through, the transformer serving us is working but you can see it is under the water.
“We appeal to the government to de-silt the area because the level is rising by the day and we cannot do these ourselves. Now that the rains are here, we pray there will not be an outbreak of epidemic and what happened in 2012,” Nwankpadolu said.
