Expdonaloaded News; Flood: 100 houses submerged, 400 displaced in Calabar

An unprecedented flood has wreaked havoc in Calabar metropolis in Cross River State, submerging  no fewer than 100 houses and displacing about 400 persons.Areas worse hit include, Goldie, CRUTECH staff quarters, Target, White House by William George Street, White House by Calabar Road, Okoro Agbor, Nelson Mandela, and Howell streets.The ravaging flood, which occurred following a two-day downpour, did not only destroy valuable household items worth several millions of naira, but sacked the residents, thereby rendering them homeless.

When Daily  Sun visited some of the affected areas on Okoro Agobor and Howell streets, some of the residents  were seen trying to salvage some of their belongings, while  children and the elderly,  trapped in the flood, were being evacuated to nearby homes less affected by the flood.
Some of the affected victims said the experience was not  new  to them because the flooding had occurred in the past.
He stated that they had written to government to come to their rescue, but there has been no positive reaction.
The residents attributed the consistent flooding to  lack  of drainages in the areas.  They stated that the  contractors who handled the road project failed to construct drainages to pave the way for easy flow of water, especially during heavy rain.
One of the residents and landlord of a 27- room apartment, Elder Edet John, said the ravaging flood had been a burden to him, lamenting that most of his tenants had moved out of his house.
He stated that the flood had destroyed valuable property worth several millions of naira and made him to lose tenants who would have rented an apartment he built recently.
“I am confused because any time it rains, I get scared; my family and tenants are rendered homeless. They will start looking for a better place to relocate some of their cherished property. It is a big problem to us in this area. I have lost so many property and I am calling on government to come to our rescue,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, Theresa Udeme, who resides at Howell Street, lamented the incessant flood in the area and appealed to the government to rush to their rescue.
She said the residents have become vulnerable to diseases due to the wastes often deposited in the area by the flood,  adding that they could not afford alternative apartment due to the present harsh economic situation in the country.