Many families have been rendered homeless in three villages of Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State and many buildings are on the verge of collapse due to heavy flooding in the area.
The affected places are in Umuekwea village, Umuokwasa village and Umunwanwa village under Ndogo autonomous community.
South East Trust observed that some of the affected buildings include a storey building, ancestral homes and residential buildings. Farms have also been destroyed by the gully erosion which is fast eating deep into other parts of the villages.
In past years, within the local government, it was common to see families abandon their homes whenever it rained because their homes lay within gully erosion sites that were up to 100 feet deep.
Ndogo autonomous community in Umuahia South sits in the midst of an age-long gully that threatens its existence every rainy season.
The pioneer Catholic priest from the area, Rev. Fr. Christian Uche Anokwuru, traced the history of the gully sites to the abandoned Umuwanwa road which was awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC over a decade ago.
He said the community has been raising funds to address the challenge which, he lamented, is beyond their reach.
The traditional ruler of Ngodo autonomous community, His Royal Highness Eze Stephen Ihuoma, said the gully erosion sites have brought untold hardships on the community as farmlands are being destroyed.
The monarch called on the federal government through the Ecological Fund Office to come to their aid.
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