A prominent member of Ohaneze Ndigbo, an apex Igbo socio-cultural body, has warned people living in riverine areas in Imo and Anambra to relocate their movable valuables in order to avoid loses.
Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, a prominent member of the group in Anambra, gave the warning while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Onitsha on Monday.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had listed riverine and low land communities in parts of Imo and Anambra as likely areas to witness flooding this year within the South-East.
Ezeonwuka, who sympathised with victims of last year’s flood disaster, advised that those within the riverine and lowland areas to move out all their moveable property as the river Niger was gradually reaching its peak.
“A stitch in time saves nine; a stick cannot pluck somebody’s eyes twice. The flood last year came as a surprise.
“But for this year, the meteorologists have predicted, and thank God for their warning; and it is good that our people start working on time and not to lose their valuables anymore.’’
He, however, noted that individuals and the communities could not do much to stop the magnitude of flooding that the scientists had predicted.
“It is only government and corporate bodies in their capacity that can build heavy embankments and sand fill the water bank.
“Or dredging the rivers and its tributaries as well as building dams to check the increase in volume of water from oceans and seas into the River Niger and River Benue.
“Individuals keeping their drains clean and open them is good but the present prediction of devastation is beyond what an individual and community could contain,’’ he said.
There has been increase in rainfall for over two weeks now in the South-East while the volume of water in River Niger and Oguta Lakes has continued to grow daily.
