By JKNewsMedia
A DEVASTATING flood has claimed eight lives and destroyed vast farmlands in Kpoghirikpo, an ancient kingdom of Itim community in Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, following heavy rainfall that triggered severe displacement and economic losses.
According to community accounts, the incident left over 800 farmlands submerged and displaced more than 3,000 households, forcing many residents to seek shelter elsewhere.
The disaster struck while a number of farmers were working in their fields in an attempt to evacuate crops before the rains intensified.
Residents reported that a mother and her four children were among the casualties. Local search and rescue teams managed to save four other children, while four bodies have been recovered and buried. Efforts to locate other missing persons are ongoing.
Community leaders stated that the destruction of farmlands and homes has inflicted a major setback on local livelihoods, with families losing both their produce and shelter.
They have appealed to the federal and state governments for urgent intervention, including the provision of relief materials and the reconstruction of affected infrastructure.
The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Human Capital Development, Ann Aligwe, confirmed the scale of the disaster, stating that an emergency response team from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had been deployed to Kpoghirikpo for immediate rescue and relief operations.
She added that the state government had made arrangements for the distribution of relief materials to support affected residents.
Aligwe urged residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas to move to safer locations provided by the state government as the rainy season progresses, stressing the importance of preventive relocation to avoid further loss of life.
The incident has underscored ongoing vulnerability to flooding in rural communities, particularly in agricultural zones, where heavy rains and inadequate drainage systems can result in swift and widespread destruction.
