A devastating flood has ravaged four communities in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu state, displacing residents and destroying properties worth millions of naira. The affected communities are Mpu, Okpanku, Ndiabor, and Oduma. The flood, which started on September 20, 2026, worsened on Tuesday and Wednesday, submerging parts of Afor Okpanku, Ivo Bridge, and adjoining roads. The disaster has left many residents without homes or livelihoods.
The flood has destroyed over 10 houses, with many more affected, and washed away rice, yam, and cassava farms. Residents are evacuating their families and belongings to safer locations as heavy rainfall continues in the area. The Councillor representing Mpu Ward, Hon. Edwin Ogbuka, described the situation as life-threatening and called for urgent government intervention. He attributed the flooding to the overflow of water from the abandoned Ivo Dam project.
A community leader in Mpu, Mr Chukwu Magnus Dele, said six villages in the community had been affected, with displaced residents taking refuge at Amachalla town school. He appealed to the government and relevant emergency agencies to provide relief materials and assistance to the victims. The Youth Leader of Okpanku, Mr George Ahaefuna, described the disaster as unprecedented, with the flood destroying crops and farms worth millions of naira.
A shop owner at Afor Okpanku Market, Mrs Patricia Chukwu, said goods worth millions of naira had remained submerged for two days. She urged the government and spirited individuals to assist those whose houses were destroyed to rebuild them. The flooding is still worsening, with rain continuing to fall and more buildings and farmlands coming under the heavy flooding.
According to residents, Okpanku has experienced major flooding on previous occasions, with community accounts citing 1939, 1965, and 2026 as major flood years. The Chairman of Aninri LGA, Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, expressed concern over the natural disaster, saying flooding occurs twice yearly in some parts of the area due to the uncompleted Ivo Dam project.
Prince Nwanjoku said stakeholders were planning a joint visit to the Ivo Dam to assess the reservoir and explore possible repairs to prevent further flooding. He said most communities in Aninri have been submerged by flooding, with crops, houses, and businesses destroyed. The LGA chairman is assessing the situation to know the level of damage caused by the flood.
Efforts to reach the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for their reactions were unsuccessful as at press time. The flood disaster has left many residents in dire need of assistance, with the government and emergency agencies yet to respond to the crisis.
Key points
- The flood disaster has displaced residents and destroyed properties worth millions of naira in four Enugu communities.
- The flooding is attributed to the overflow of water from the abandoned Ivo Dam project.
- The government and emergency agencies are yet to respond to the crisis.
