Environmental Conservation Agriculture and Rural Development (ECARD) on Sunday called for an urgent investigation into renewed earth tremors reported in border communities of Bayelsa and Rivers states.

The organisation made the call after investigating ground vibrations experienced on Thursday, October 8, across Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.

ECARD’s field team, led by Alagoa Morris and Emmanuel Ezue, visited Kalaba, Ikarama, Mbiama and Iluma on Saturday to document residents’ experiences in a statement on Sunday.

Residents said the vibrations shook buildings, displaced household items and triggered panic, forcing some people to flee their homes and businesses.

At Mbiama, a vulcaniser, Chimezie Madu, said residents rushed towards the East-West Road, fearing that a heavy structure had collapsed.

He recalled a similar incident years earlier, when a pot his mother was cooking with reportedly shook on the fire.

A fruit seller, Benita Douglas, said the vibration broke another trader’s table, scattering her wares, while she fell to the ground.

In Iluma, Innocent Ezebuwo, who was visiting Mbiama market, said traders abandoned their shops to investigate the cause of the shaking.

He appealed to government authorities to investigate the recurring phenomenon, saying his community had experienced similar incidents more than three times about four years ago.

Mr Ezebuwo said the earlier incidents occurred in his community, where the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, whose assets Oando had since taken over, operated.

Another resident, Caroline Theophilus, said the sudden vibration frightened her so much that she fled her home without knowing where to seek safety.

In Kalaba, 51-year-old Freeborn Roland said the vibration occurred between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., shaking his house and roofing sheets.

He said he initially suspected strong winds and asked his son whether he also felt the shaking.

At Ikarama, residents Levi Daniel, Christian Johnson, Joseph and Gift Stanley reported similar experiences, describing intense vibrations in the ground and buildings.

Mr Johnson, 48, said he initially feared an earthquake, recalling a similar incident at Mbiama about five years ago.

The traditional ruler of Freetown, Gbaka Moses, said the vibration caused widespread fear, with cracks reportedly observed in some buildings.

He warned that the incident could heighten anxiety among residents and called for a thorough investigation.

ECARD said available records indicated that affected communities experienced similar tremors in June 2014 and July 2016.

The organisation said the July 2016 incident reportedly affected Ikarama, Igbogene, Akenfa, Mbiama, Akinima and Akinowiso, among other communities across the two states.

It noted that previous incidents had been suspected to involve seismic activities linked to oil industry operations, particularly in 2016.

However, ECARD said its latest observations had not identified nearby seismic activity that could explain the renewed vibrations.

The organisation stressed that the cause remained undetermined and warned against linking the phenomenon to oil industry operations without scientific evidence.

It urged relevant state and federal government agencies, professional associations and scientific bodies to investigate the incidents and provide reliable information.

ECARD said investigations would address public concerns, establish whether the vibrations posed any danger and guide appropriate preventive measures.

The organisation called for greater government attention to environmental and ecological issues, stressing the importance of timely information and scientific research.

It maintained that authorities should not ignore recurring environmental incidents simply because their causes had yet to be established. 

(NAN)