Flood Wreaks Havoc in Uyo, thousands Rendered Homeless
Severe flooding caused by several hours of heavy rainfall on Thursday morning has rendered thousands of residents of Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, homeless after their homes and business premises were submerged.
The hardest-hit areas include Oron Road, Tabernacle Road, Abak Road, Ikot Ekpene Road, Ewet Housing Extension, Nkemba, CAT, Ukana Offot, Uwah and Aka Itiam streets.
The scale of the disaster became evident after residents shared videos showing entire neighbourhoods underwater, with several houses and churches completely submerged.
Otuekong Ebong Bassey, one of the victims that shared footage of his flooded ancestral home, raised concerns over the safety of his family after the entire building was submerged and his late father’s tombstone was almost washed away.
“I am calling on the state government to come to our aid,” Bassey said. “I am not sure of the safety of other occupants. Household property has been destroyed.”
Many residents were seen wading or swimming through floodwaters, while others spread salvaged mattresses and household items outside to dry. Some displaced persons were reportedly forced to sleep on the streets.
Another resident, identified simply as Anite, appealed to Governor Umo Eno to “do something to alleviate their suffering.” She recalled that “when a similar incident occurred during Godswill Akpabio’s administration, victims received compensation.”
On his part, the State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has directed relevant agencies to identify flood-prone communities and implement immediate intervention measures.
The Governor, represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Akon Eyakenyi, gave the directive during a constituency briefing and empowerment programme organised by the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, in Abak Local Government Area.
Eyakenyi disclosed that the Governor had mandated the Akwa Ibom State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and the Ministry of Environment to assess the affected communities. She added that inspections had been completed and reports submitted.
According to her, the reports indicate that some areas require urgent desilting of drains and culverts, while illegal structures obstructing natural waterways may have to be demolished to enable permanent flood control measures.
While some residents blamed the flooding on poor road construction and drainage works by contractors, environmental experts attributed the disaster to climate change, blocked drainage channels and inadequate flood management infrastructure.
