Residents of Igbogo village in Chiba community in Ohio/Akpor local government area of Rivers State were at the weekend sack edfrom their homes by flood, occasioned by heavy downpour that occurred on Thursday and Friday.

It was gathered that no fewer than 12 buildings, including the Deeper Life Bible Church building as well as property worth millions of naira were destroyed by the flood.

It was further gathered that several compounds were submerged by the flood, which also brought down fences of houses in the community.

Speaking to newsmen, a victim of the flood, Mr. Innocent Egwanwo, stated that the flood came into the community as a result of illegal structure on waterways in the area. Egwanwo said he and his family were sleeping Friday night when he noticed that water had covered the whole room.

He also claimed that the water forced its way into the community because the drainage system on the Igbogo road was yet to be completed, adding that the area was flood prone.

Egwanwo said, “I have stayed in this place for ten years. For six years now since people began to block the waterway with illegal structures we have been witnessing flooding but this one is the worst. Somebody filed the place where water flows so when it rains water enters people’s houses.

“This once is worst I have experienced because the height of the water even speed boasts can drive on it. The flood brought down four fences. Our fence collapsed on my make-shift house.

“My own property and those of over 12 others worth over 10 million were damaged by the flood. Because the incident happened at night we could not save anything. Two churches were also affected

“The government should consider the nature of Igbogo road and speed up the road construction. The diversion of the water into our compound is as result of the slow pace of work on that road. Because the road and the drainage are not through water easily diverts into people’s compounds.

“My prayer now is that it should rain because if it rained again we will be in trouble. We are calling on the state government to help us channel the water so that people can sleep.”

Also speaking, another victim, Kamalu Onyekachi said, “Unfortunately, people living around here contribute in worsening the situation. They should help the government channel the waterway out. In the front people heighted the level of the road in their favor and at the detriment of others so water cannot move out of this area when it rains.”