Torrential rainfall wreaks havoc in Delta communities

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

Heavy rainfall which started at about 4pm on Monday has submerged several houses in Okwe quarters in Asaba and Ubulu Okiti Communities near Asaba including the drinking spots in the community.
Although the rain in the early hours had swept away Makeshifts in Okpanam Community especially Ibusa Community and stopped, but the evening rains was worsened by speed and unimmaginable storms brewing in shocking manners while it lasted in the destruction of properties.
In Awai Community near Asaba,a Middle Aged Woman Identified as Elizabeth was swept away from her home in Camp 74 into Awai River where she allegedly gave up the ghost before help came her way.
Eyewitness Ifeoma Gabriel said that the victim not too known to Awai Community residents before the incident Identified herself as Elizabeth,a visitor seeking where to farm and eke a living after the death of her husband in Akwa in Anambra state, adding that she had gone to her farm land in the early hours to o some work when the rain started
She was said to have missed her steps on top of the locally Constructed Awai River Bridge when she allegedly slipped and fell into the river amidst the heavy rainfall.
Residents of Camp 74, one of them, Ejiro Oghenevo who spoke to Journalists in the area however called on the state government to come to their aid and help solve the yearly Challenges of flooding in their fish farm lands, adding that the woman died as a result of the poor locally Constructed Awai River Bridge. But the police Commissioner in the state, Adeyinka Adeleke who confirmed the incident to Journalists said it was unfortunate, and advised residents of the community to be careful especially with the coming of heavy rainfall across the globe.
Owners of the destroyed drinking spots and houses in Ubulu Okiti and Okwe quarters in Asaba, one of them, Chief Martins Igbadi regretted the destruction, adding that they have lost close to N4million to the heavy rainfall and however appealed to the state government to fashion solutions to the problem.
As at the time of this report, vehicular movements from Benin to Onitsha and far Eastern states were literally stalled as drivers plying the express way had to park their vehicles following the heavy rainfall that was accompanied with storms.
The state Commissioner for Environment,Mr Chris Onogba in a swift reaction, however assured of the state government’s support and protection during the rainy season and appealed to Deltans to avoid dangerous areas where the rains could wreak havoc.