Imo Residents Cry Out as Floods Inundate Homes and Businesses

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Residents of various communities in Imo State are expressing their frustration over heavy rain that flooded homes, shops, and roads on Monday. Many people are stranded, and commercial and educational activities have been disrupted.

The flooding affected parts of Owerri and nearby communities after hours of intense rainfall. Motorists found it hard to drive on some roads, forcing many residents to stay indoors.

The Owerri office of the National Emergency Management Agency confirmed the flooding. They said they received calls from residents asking for help.

A NEMA official, who did not want to be named, said, “We have received several reports from different places today and the complaints are the same. Everywhere is flooded; it is overwhelming, unfortunately.”

Imo has been experiencing heavy rain since Thursday. The long downpours have caused flooding and made movement hard in many areas.

In the Federal Housing Estate, Umuguma, which is in Owerri West Local Government Area, residents reported that floodwater entered their homes and businesses, leaving them stuck.

Uchenna Nnadozie, a resident who has lived there for about three years without flooding, shared videos on Facebook showing how bad things are around his apartment.

He said the flooding has disrupted movement and forced schools in the area to close. “I moved in here about three years ago and I have never experienced flooding. Now, see my house. The whole place is flooded. Schools are shut down. Nobody can go out, let alone drive out.

“Just take a look at our street. Everywhere is flooded,” Nnadozie lamented.

Another resident from Umuguma, Mr Val, spoke during a live program on Groove FM Owerri. He said floodwaters trapped residents, making it hard for them to leave or access the community.

Mrs Amadi, a widow, also expressed her worries. She said floodwater entered both her home and shop, leaving her anxious about taking care of her two children.

“I don’t understand the road construction going on. Now, see my kiosk flooded, see my room flooded. Where do I go from here with these little children? The roads are terribly flooded,” she said.

Amadi urged the government to quickly solve the problem, saying the flooding has made life harder for residents. “Government should fix the roads, and urgently too. We are suffering. Transportation is exorbitant. I paid thrice for the same distance to go to church and there is no solution in sight,” she lamented.

Shop owners along the Umuguma major road also faced challenges as floodwater submerged their businesses and some filling stations. Several cars reportedly got stuck while trying to drive through the flooded streets, with about four vehicles breaking down.

Residents pointed out that some of the flooding was due to ongoing road construction and drainage work in the area. They claimed that the drains are too high, which caused water to enter homes.

Flooding was also reported around Ohaozara Street, near the back gate of Imo State University. Dr Nwakaego Ohaegbulam, a resident, said the ongoing work on Ohaozara-Aladinma Road has made movement very difficult during the heavy rains.

In a Facebook post, Ohaegbulam said residents have been unable to drive in or out for more than a month. “For over a month now, we can’t drive in or out. It’s raining torrents, which makes the road slippery and a hazard for both parents and children,” she wrote.

She mentioned that taking children to school has become hard, as residents have to walk along the edges of drainage ditches. Ohaegbulam asked the contractor and authorities to speed up work on the road.

Students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, were also affected. Some reported that water had flooded their apartments. A FUTO student, Okechukwu, said, “See our apartments which we thought were close to the school to save expenses. Now, floods have trapped us inside. Our rooms are flooded and we don’t know what to do.”

In Emeabiam, Owerri North Local Government Area, local musician Ugo Stevenson said residents are stranded as floodwater covered roads and farmlands. “Nobody is talking about Emeabiam. We can’t even go out or come in because our roads and farmlands are flooded. The farms we worked hard to till have been completely washed away,” Stevenson said.

He added that some residents have been forced to stay indoors after floodwater entered their homes. The flooding has caused disruptions in many parts of the state, with schools and businesses closing as residents struggle to cope with the ongoing heavy rain.