By Okey Maduforo Awka.
But for the intervention of villagers at Ogbaru local government area of Anambra state two persons would have been confirmed dead through suicide following the submerging of several farmlands in the area by flood .
Loading ...The flood which had been foretold by Nigerian Metrological Agency NIMET to affect states in the coastal regions of the country is already affecting states in the North is fast hitting the South East and South South.
In the last two weeks the torrential rain fall across the South East has increased the volume of water from the River Niger thereby submerging most farmlands in the area which led to the attempted suicide by two farmers .
It was gathered that most farmers in the area had obtained loans to cultivate in their farms before the flood and apparently disturbed over how to repay the loans led to two of the affected farmers trying to take their lives out of frustration.
As a riverine local government area in Anambra State, situated on the banks of the River Niger and bordering Delta and Rivers State, Ogbaru’s flood-prone nature has been laid bare once more.
From Ossomala to Obeagwe, Akili Ogidi, Ogwuikpele, Ogwuaniocha and many farm camps in the environs, the devastation is better imagined as the communities are literarily swallowed by the increasing flood.
Meanwhile, residents of Ogbaru local government area are currently apprehensive over the fate of their property and children as according to them there are no signs of government plans towards resetting them to a better place or providing them with relief materials and medicaments
Mr. Adimali Nwachukwu, a yam and cassava farmer in Ogwuikpele, expressed deep pain and anguish, narrating his ordeal:
“The flood has destroyed me. It has ruined my hopes and wasted my labour. I don’t know where to start from. I borrowed money at a high interest rate to invest in large-scale farming this year.
A widow, Nwakaego Nwafili, a cassava and maize farmer, shared her heart-wrenching tale:
“This year’s flood is suffocating me. Since the heavy rains started in July, I’ve been having panic attacks, knowing what was to come. I haven’t been sleeping at night, my mind is constantly preoccupied with my farm. I’m heartbroken as I speak to you now.
“All my crops are submerged underwater. I don’t have the funds to hire labourers to help with the harvest. I’m doing the premature harvesting by myself. I’m ruined.
Mrs Oluchi Nzekwe also shared her family’s plight, revealing that her husband’s blood pressure has skyrocketed since the floods began. As the family’s sole livelihood depends on farming, the devastating impact of the flood has left them distressed.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), in June visited Ogbaru for flood simulation and sensitization exercise.
The operation aimed to test Nigeria’s preparedness for anticipated flooding, enhance multi-agency coordination, and raise awareness among vulnerable communities.
Speaking at the event, NEMA Director-General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, said the simulation was a demonstration of the agency’s proactive approach to disaster management, particularly in high-risk flood-prone states like Abia, Anambra, and Imo, as identified in the 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Annual Flood Outlook.
