by Stanley Azuakola

The heavy flooding across many cities and communities in Nigeria is showing no signs of abating.

In Delta State, an additional 120 communities have been hit hard by the floods. In fact, so severe was the flood in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, that a traditional ruler reportedly drowned when the boat in which he was being evacuated from his flooded community capsized.

According to a villager who confirmed the incident, the name of the royal father cannot be disclosed now due to some traditional reasons.

Chairman of the Flood Disaster Committee and deputy governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, who briefed Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday, on the activities of the committee, said the flood disaster was getting worse in the state. In all, over 220 communities in Delta have been affected with Aboh, Oko Kingdom and Gbelekor communities being some of the worst hit.

Utuama said that the committee was working hard to curtail the flood’s effect by visiting the affected coastal areas, opening of rehabilitation camps and ensuring that relief materials were distributed to the rehabilitation camps.

On his part, Gov. Uduaghan decried the nonchalant attitude of the local government areas to the flood disaster. He said that that it was the responsibility of the councils to cater for displaced persons in their jurisdictions.