By Akpan Udo-Inyang
CALABAR -Properties worth over N27 million have been destroyed as torrential rain renders Arab and Atimbo communities of Calabar Municipality, helpless for hours, Thursday.
The heavy downpour forced residents to scamper for safety while also struggling with flood to salvage some properties and safeguard their children as the incident took them unaware.
A journalist who lives in the area also experienced the wrath of the flood as water virtually subsumed household properties, creating panic and anxiety while the downpour lasted.
Speaking on the situation, the Arab Community Chairman, Ntufam Alphonsus Alphonsus while sympathizing with the affected victims, explained that several times, the community had made efforts to draw government attention to the frequent flooding in the area to no avail.
According to him “We really sympathize with families who have lost their properties today because of the heavy rain fall which has destroyed properties, in my estimation, worth N27 million naira.”
“The community leadership has been doing everything within its power to engage the government to come and do something here in Arab but that has not materialized” Unfortunately, year in year out, we continue to live at the mercy of God and the flood without government assistance which would have helped the situation” the retired civil servant added.
Hear him “I have been out of my house since morning when some of the residents called my attention and so far, more than a hundred houses have been flooded. If you estimate the loss of their properties, it will be nothing less than N27 million naira.”
One of the victims, Richard Fomba, a furniture maker who spoke to our correspondent in tears said “water entered even up to the room of my children and it was God who made my wife to go in and notice it before gathering them on top of my bed.”
Fomba added that , “the rain started without showing any sign of destruction but before anybody noticed it, water had found its way to the sitting room and made it right down to the rooms.”
Properties destroyed on Thursday included furnitures, sound systems, books, certificates, clothes, kitchen utensils, airconditions and fans, among others.
Residents have therefore, appealed for the intervention of the state government to urgently look in the direction of Arab community to develop the area and construct water channels in order to arrest frequent flooding.
Similarly, residents, have appealed to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to assist victims with relief materials to cushion the impact of the flood.