AKOO RIVER OVERFLOW FLOODS NKALUNTA IBERE COMMUNITY IN ABIA, LEAVES OVER 300 HOMELESS. (PHOTO).

 Akoo River Overflow Floods Nkalunta Ibere Community in Abia, Leaves Over 300 Homeless

The Akoo River in Nkalunta Ibere village, Otu Uzo-Ibere, in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State has overflowed its banks after a week of heavy rainfall, flooding homes and farms and destroying houses, livestock, poultry and churches.

More than 300 people have been rendered homeless by the disaster. Residents said the river rose well above its normal level following persistent rains that pounded the community for seven days. The flood also swept reptiles, fish and other aquatic animals from the river onto surrounding land.

Maxwell Otuonye, President-General of the Ibere Clan Development Union Federated, and Kalu Chukwuemeka Israel, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) House of Assembly candidate for Ikwuano LGA, appealed for immediate assistance from the Abia State Government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). They said villagers were now exposed to hunger and the risk of disease outbreaks, with many sleeping in the open after their homes were destroyed.

Ikwuano LGA Chairman Anthony Nwaubani, who visited the affected homes and farms, described the flooding as a major disaster requiring urgent intervention from NEMA and other relevant agencies. He said the scale of destruction was beyond what his office could handle alone.

Henry Ikoh, immediate past Minister of State for Science and Technology and an indigene of Ikwuano, also called on the Federal Government and the Abia State Government to provide immediate relief to the affected residents.

The incident follows a similar flooding on Thursday in Ugwueke community, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, where a 37-year-old trader, Mr Ejiuwa, drowned while returning from the market.