Residents of several communities in Imo State, Nigeria, are lamenting the impact of torrential rainfall that submerged homes, shops, and roads on Monday, leaving many stranded and disrupting commercial and educational activities. The flooding, which affected parts of Owerri and neighbouring communities, followed hours of heavy rainfall that left motorists unable to navigate some roads and forced residents to remain indoors. According to the Owerri office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), several parts of the state were affected, with distress calls received from residents seeking assistance.
A NEMA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the situation as overwhelming, with reports from different places indicating that everywhere was flooded. Imo is among the states that have experienced torrential rainfall since Thursday, with prolonged downpours causing flooding and disrupting movement in several communities. At the Federal Housing Estate, Umuguma, in Owerri West Local Government Area, residents said floodwater entered their homes and businesses, leaving them stranded.
One of the residents, Uchenna Nnadozie, who had lived in the area for about three years without experiencing flooding, posted videos on Facebook showing the extent of the flooding around his apartment. He said the situation had disrupted movement and forced schools in the area to close. Nnadozie lamented that the whole place was flooded, and nobody could go out, let alone drive out.
Another Umuguma resident, Mr Val, said residents had been trapped by the flood and could neither leave nor access the community because of the condition of the roads. A widow, Mrs Amadi, also lamented that floodwater had entered her home and shop, leaving her worried about how to care for her two children. She appealed to the government to urgently address the situation, saying the flooding had compounded the hardship faced by residents.
Shop owners along the Umuguma major road were also affected, as floodwater reportedly submerged businesses and some filling stations. Several vehicles were said to have become stranded while attempting to navigate the flooded road, with about four vehicles reportedly breaking down. Residents attributed part of the flooding to the ongoing road construction and drainage works in the area, alleging that the level of some drains was too high and had contributed to water entering existing homes.
The flooding was also reported around Ohaozara Street, near the back gate of Imo State University. A resident, Dr Nwakaego Ohaegbulam, said the ongoing rehabilitation of the Ohaozara-Aladinma Road had made movement particularly difficult amid the heavy rainfall. She added that taking children to school had become a difficult task as residents were forced to walk along the edges of gutters.
Students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, were also affected by the flooding, with some reporting that water had entered their apartments. In Emeabiam, Owerri North Local Government Area, a local musician, Ugo Stevenson, said residents were also stranded as floodwater submerged roads and farmlands. The flooding has disrupted activities in several parts of the state, with schools and businesses reportedly shut as residents struggled to cope with the impact of the prolonged rainfall.
Key points
- Imo State, Nigeria, experiences widespread flooding due to torrential rainfall.
- The flooding disrupts commercial and educational activities, leaving many residents stranded.
- Residents attribute part of the flooding to ongoing road construction and drainage works.
