Flood submerges 25 communities in Edo

No fewer than 25 communities in Edo State, along the bank of the River Niger, have been submerged by flood following the release of water from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

The local government areas affected by the flood are Etsako East, Etsako Central and Esan South East.

Briefing newsmen in Benin, Edo State, Ojimah Christopher, Desk Officer, Esan South Local Government on Relief Materials and Distribution, said 25 communities had been submerged.

Ojimah, who is also the Local Government Secretary, Emergency Committee, said the internally displaced camp in the local government had already been filled by displaced persons.

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He said there are some communities, especially Ifeku, that have been completely submerged, with property and livestock swept away.

A resident of the affected area, John Odaku, said farmlands containing crops such as yam, cassava and groundnut had been submerged by flood while farm produce already harvested were swept away.

He said residents could not take their belongings due to the rising level of the water.

He called on the state and federal governments to come to their aid, noting that the local government had been shouldering the responsibility.

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency has advised the people living in flood-prone areas to relocate to IDP camps to avoid casualties.