Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Hundreds of houses were Saturday evening submerged in Aba, the economic capital of Abia State following a torrential rain fall.
Scores of residents have been rendered homeless as they could not access their homes which in some cases were completely swallowed by flood water according to eyewitness accounts.
According to accounts, Port Harcourt Road is the worst hit following the deplorable condition of the road that has been almost impassable for many years.
An eyewitness told Ikengaonline that the devastation by the flood was unprecedented since the history of the commercial city.
“Flood completely took over people’s houses at 142, 144, 146 Port Harcourt Road,” the source agonised.
“All buildings at Ubani Street, Umuoji Street, some buildings at George’s Street and other adjoining streets off-Port Harcourt road were badly affected,” he added.
Although Ikengaonline reports that Port Harcourt Road is a federal road, the source which described the situation as a monumental disaster regretted that the State Government failed to fix Port Harcourt Road Aba despite the World Bank fund it received for infrastructural development in Aba.
“It is unfortunate that it is the same Port Harcourt Road that the present Governor collected N27.4 billion to construct but failed woefully to do the needful which is why the floods have taken over people’s homes.
“As it stands, a lot of people have been rendered homeless as a result of the rains that fell today (Saturday).
One of the affected residents simply identified as Mrs Gloria, called for assistance from relevant authorities as she lamented that her family had no place to sleep or stay at the moment.
She called on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to come to the rescue of the flood victims.
