Torrential rainfall and windstorm on Saturday night destroyed farmlands and shops in Abakaliki and Akpoha community in the Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The over four-hour rainfall caused severe flooding on the Abakaliki–Afikpo Expressway, submerging farmlands and destroying crops worth millions of naira.

A cross-section of the affected farmers said during an interview in Abakiliki on Sunday that the flood washed away yam, cassava, maize, rice, melon and other crops in their farmlands.

One of the affected residents, Cletus Idam, said he lost huge investment this planting season.

“We invested huge sums of money in our farms, but everything has been washed away; we may have to replant if the flood recedes,” Mr Idam said.

He appealed to the Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to assess the damage and support the affected communities.

He said that Afikpo, Amasiri, Akpoha and their neighbouring communities recorded extensive destruction of farmlands, following recent heavy downpours.

Another farmer, Sunday Ewa, urged the Ebonyi State Government to provide relief materials and agricultural inputs to the affected farmers.

Mr Ewa called for the provision of improved seedlings, chemicals and other farm inputs to enable farmers to resume cultivation.

He said that Afikpo, Amasiri and Akpoha communities remained vulnerable to flooding because of their terrain.

A community leader in Afikpo, Joseph Irem, described the destruction as a big threat to agricultural production and food security.

Mr Irem said that the community leaders would formally report the incident to relevant authorities and seek intervention for the affected natives.

He expressed optimism that the Ebonyi State Government and the National Emergency Management Agency would provide relief assistance to the victims.

Also, in some areas in Abakaliki, a strong windstorm damaged commercial buildings, blowing off the roofs of some shops and goods were damaged by rainwater.

A trader at Kpiri-Kpiri Market, Chioma Ifeanyi, said that many traders suffered heavy losses, particularly dealers in electrical appliances.

“The rainstorm caused extensive damage; and many shop owners had their goods damaged by rainwater,” she said.

Some petty traders at the popular Ebebe Junction Evening Market in Amike-Aba Community in Abakaliki also counted their losses from the impact of the windstorm on their makeshift sheds.

Traders such as Patricia Onwe, Iruka Ede and Pauline Iteshi, said the heavy windstorm removed the roofs of their shops, with goods destroyed by the rain.

“We lost several goods, mostly grains, amounting to hundreds of thousands of naira. We call on the government to come to our aid. We depend on what we make from our petty trading in this market to fend for our families and pay our children’s school fees.

“We will face difficult times, if no help comes from the relevant interventionist agencies of government,” the victims said.

 (NAN)