SCORES of villagers have been rendered homeless following heavy rainfall in Alisse and Osokora communities in Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The Director-General of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. John Inaku, who disclosed this on Sunday, said agricultural produce worth millions of naira had also been destroyed.
Inaku said no fewer than 20 houses were pulled down in the communities on Saturday while several others were seriously damaged by flood.
He said the affected houses were built close to the river bank, which made it easier for the buildings to be overrun by water.
The director-general put the total number of destroyed buildings in both communities at 43.
Inaku said, “Following the heavy rains of Sunday, no fewer than 17 houses were pulled down, while 43 others were destroyed. The affected victims also lost their crops such as cocoa, tubers of yam, rice and others worth millions of naira.
“The victims are currently displaced by the effect of the flood. I have written to the state government and I am very confident that he would respond to their plight’’, he assured.
One of the victims, Mr. Emmanuel Adim, said “I am a civil servant and I managed to build this house after 18 years in service. Now that the flood has pulled it down, I don’t know where to start from.
“I am appealing to the government to help us in this period of our agony. I had to relocate to my mother’s compound for refuge,” he said.
The SEMA boss also disclosed that a similar disaster pulled down 27 houses and destroyed 87 others in Esobendeghe community in Boki Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, the affected houses were destroyed after the rain that fell in the area on Tuesday, July 19.
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