Flood disaster: Any hope as victims count losses

BY GODWIN ADIAKPAN

Rainfall is a natural phenomenon which cannot be wished away especially in this  part of the country, fondly referred to as the tropical rain forest.

While some areas like the Savannah region celebrate rainfall which determines crops yield, in the south mostly the tropical rain forest belt which spans across the coastal states experience heavy rainfall throughout the year.

In addition, it is a statement of fact that during the rainy season, the months of June, July, August and September record the heaviest and highest magnitude of rain throughout the year.

Therefore, rainfall and its attendant flood, destruction and disruption of activities is nothing to residents of the states of the South south region especially the coastal Councils of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Bayelsa, Ondo etc.

Their love for rainfall, water and high ocean tide is therefore but natural as compared to residents of the northern States. Heavy downpours do occur, and thank God the water will dry off or flow into natural or constructed drainage system, leaving no impact or negative effects on the people. 

Emphatically, the four days heavy or torrential downpour of 31st July – 4th August and other flood incidents cannot be forgotten in a hurry by the people of Esit Eket, Eket and other councils that bound with the Atlantic Ocean.
The magnitude of the destruction inflicted on the people by the flood that lasted for weeks could best be described as devastating or unusual compared to other rain incidents in preceding years.

The number of the residential buildings, public schools, churches, properties, farmlands and crops destroyed or submerged in the flood disasters in Esit Eket Local Government Area elicit serious sympathy and or concern.
At the last count, more than Two Thousand, Five Hundred (2500) families rendered homeless in the four days ungodly act who are now taking refuge in public buildings, village halls and with relatives having lost valuables, personal effects and or articles of trade.

The disaster was widely reported in the print and electronic media at the state, regional and national level to attract the attention of relevant governmental agency to the plight of the victims.

The victims have through Non – governmental organizations (NGO), councils and civil society groups sent Save – Our – souls (SOS) messages to the National and State Emergency Management Agencies (NEMA/SEMA), corporate institutions and humanitarian agencies to assist with relief materials to assuage the immediate effect of the disasters while in their respective camps.
Many expressed fear of out break of cholera, dysentery, ebola, and other water or air borne disease in these camps as the living conditions of the displaced families have not changed to warrant them returning to their traditional and or ancestral homes.

Precisely, nine weeks after the ungodly incident which seems like yesterday, victims still bemoaned their fate and ugly experiences in the unprecedented natural disaster.

The victims believe after much media hype on the harsh effect of the disaster and several passionate appeal to government for assistance, nothing seems to be done about their plight weeks after the government through the Chairman of the state emergency management agency and deputy governor of the state who took an on the spot assessment of the extent of destruction cause by the flood with an assurance of assistance to alleviate their plight.

While some continue to renew their appeals for assistance from the government, others have expressed resentment that the government is insensitive to their plight and have therefore abandoned them to their fate. 

Though it is a social responsibility of a caring government to assist its citizens affected in natural or man made disasters as witnessed in civilized societies. The government had always been consistent in extending magnanimity to victims of disasters.

The case of Mr. Etinwa Bassey Ukpong, a young man with family of six (6) becomes more pathetic as all the benefit he earned from his 25 years working career in a construction firm was spent on erecting a house with provision shop for his wife to manage. But on those black ungodly flooded days, the building was submerged with bags of rice, garri, beans, groundnut and other articles of trade destroyed few days after he took delivery of a truck load of his stock.  

Ukpong had opened a food distribution/wholesale outlet at Ikpa Town to gainfully occupy him as hope of getting employment again will be a tall dream.

Confused of the fate that had befallen him, Ukpong has concluded God has dealt this great blow on him and that irrespective of what will come his way in form of assistance or relief material, his life will never be the same again.
Godson Etukudo operates on a photo shop, repairs computers and other electrical appliances at Uquo. After close of work on the ill-fated flood days, he lost his video cameras, printers, computers and other electronic gadget in his custody during the flood. “I now have to buy these appliances for the owners”, Etukudo lament.

The above scenario depicts the untold story of the devastation and wanton destruction of properties and means of livelihood of about 2500 law abiding citizens of Esit Eket thrown overboard as result of the flood disaster.
For the young and able bodied who lost valuable, properties, articles of trade and personal effects, they can start afresh, but imagine the fate of a 60 year old widow, Mma Sarah Ekpo living in a makeshift building with her grand children. Her lamentations had gone to high heavens as she groans over her collapse building, household utensils and personal effects of her family members with no hope of assistance insight.

It becomes clear that only angels can console and comfort her. Who will accommodate, feed and care for her and her children.

If it is difficult for a family with both parents struggling to make ends meet, this widow, and others rendered homeless and without any means of livelihood have reasons to send emissary to the high heavens and the government for attention. 

Though we understand the constraints of the state government with dwindling revenue profile, a small percentage of what is available can change their situation and restore hope to the affected. 

The Federal government can competently underwrite this bill through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) that is making waves in the trouble region.

But where both strategies fail to achieve desire results, victims of these flood disasters could acquire the status of Internally Displaced Person (IDP) to draw global attention.