Flood: Over 4,000 Houses, 13,000 Farms Destroyed In Cross River

The State Emergency Management Agency, Cross River (CR-SEMA), has revealed that ravaging flood destroyed no fewer than 4,070 houses and 13,147 farms in the state between August and September, 2016,

The Director-General of the agency, John Inaku, gave the figures while addressing journalists in Calabar, on Tuesday saying 46 communities in seven local government areas were affected by the flood.

According to him, the local government areas are Ikom, Etung, Obubra, Biase, Yala, Abi, and Ogoja.

“From our statistics, 36 houses were destroyed by flood in six communities in Ikom, while 16 houses were destroyed by flood in five communities in Etung,” he said.

“Fifty-six houses were destroyed in six communities in Obubra, 902 houses destroyed in seven communities in Biase, and 1,131 houses were destroyed in nine communities in Yala.

“Also, 29 houses were destroyed by flood in four communities in Abi while 1,900 houses were destroyed in nine communities in Ogoja.

“On farmlands, 221 farms were affected in Ikom, 76 in Etung, 3,100 in Obubra, 2,150 in Biase, 1,200 in Yala, 1,800 in Abi and 4,600 in Ogoja.

“So far, we have provided relief materials such as foodstuffs to the majority of them who are mostly farmers and local government workers.

“We have also moved a large number of the displaced persons to a higher ground where they are safe.

“The state Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has promised to put resources together so that we can build a permanent camp for the displaced persons.

“We have already acquired two boats used in evacuating the affected people to a higher ground.

“The governor is putting things together in order to make life comfortable for them,” he said.