Cross River: Floods Displace Over 200, Destroy Property Worth Several Millions 

Bassey BASSEY 

The two weeks of downpour has caused havoc in several communities in Odukpani local government area of Cross River state as over 200 persons have been displaced and property worth millions of Naira destroyed.

The displaces persons comprise mostly  women and children who have been relocated from the lowland areas to the upland areas.

The Chairman of Odukpani LGA, Hon. Etim Asido, who  disclosed this during an interview, said people in the communities are suffering.

"We have several flood prone areas which are presently flooded and our people are suffering.

" We are trying to relocate the affected people to the upland areas where they can survive. Presently, their economic activities have been disturbed and their crops alongside houses are washed away.

"Places like Isong Inyang, Okpor, Ito, Ukwa, Idung Ndom, Obiokpor, Mkpara and Calabar River have been severely flooded.

"We have moved some of them to schools and health centres for medical attention and it has not been easy", he stated.

He also disclosed that as a consequence of the flooding, properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed.

According to him, Akpap, a community in the council, which was recently included among the flood ravaged areas, was done in error as the information is not accurate.

He emphasised that the community is an upland area but surrounded by some riverine communities like Inua Akpa,  Ikoneto, Isong Inyang Ikoneto and Ubambat which are lowland communities and  prone to flooding, appealing to 
 federal government to come to the aid of the victims.