A member representing Ohaji/Egbema/ Oguta/Oru West Federal Constituency of Imo, Mr. Kingsley Uju, has asked the Federal Government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to declare the area as humanitarian disaster, following the flood that devastated the area.
More than 200 houses were submerged, 6000 persons displaced and farmlands swept away following a heavy downpour, which ravaged the area on Friday.
Uju, who spoke while assessing the extent of damage to the affected communities, said that no less than 15 communities in Egbema and Oguta had been taken over by flood while thousands of residents were displaced and taking refuge elsewhere.
The lawmaker gave the names of the affected communities as Mmahu, Etekuru, Obiaakpu, Abor, Oguta 1, Oguta 11, Ezi Orsu, Orsu Obodo, Umuorji, Abacheke and others.
He said that the number of displaced persons had continued to rise astronomically as the flooding takes over more communities, increasing the number from 2000 to 6000.
Uju lamented that some of the victims were still trapped in their farms as a result of the flood, while appealing to the government to declare the area a disaster zone and come to the aid of the victims.