By Ekeng Inyang
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| Affected Area in the University of Calabar |
The heavy door pour of rain yesterday left some indelible mark on the tides of Calabar indigenes as most of them marvelled at the site of uncommon flood that strucked some parts of Calabar yesterday, Tuesdays 15th 2017.
Experts reports claim that if proactive and expedient measures are not taken to address the issue, Calabar will just have to content with flood disaster as what just befell Lagos State.
It would be recalled that on July 16, 2013 a major destructive flood hit parts of Cross River State and sacked Agwagunne community of Biase Local Government Area of the state claiming the lives of adults and several children.
It is pathetic to note, however, that though Governor Liyel Imoke had to personally inspect the heartrending destruction caused by the flood, it was not long after his departure from the flooded community that the cosmetic measures that were televised also ceased.
A promised major drainage system construction camouflage was carried out through the WAPI junction and expected to span through 8miles but after the said construction was completed, the flooding situation magnified.
It was also predicted by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) early that year, the heavy rains had descended in parts of the country. As it were, there was that likelihood that the rains would have the same devastating effects, or even more than that of preceding year which was compounded by the opening up of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
Cross River State was one of the worst hit that year which reason the federal government categorized the state among those to benefit from the flood fund of N400 million but which up till the end of the dispensation, the Flood Disaster Management Committee, headed by the deputy governor, Efiok Cobham, did not inform the people how and where the money were applied.
Today, in Major parts of Calabar like the Yellow Duke big gutter which cuts across Mayne Avenue, Atu and leads directly to the Calabar river constantly gets stocked as a result of human activities that block these drainage system which is not even deep enough to carry the wave of water as needed.
Other parts deeply affected are the State Housing Axis, Marian, Ekong Ita, Atimbo, 8miles-LEMNA and now University of Calabar and other areas not picked etc.
There is indeed great need for the Government of today to look into drainage and flood management before it causes a catastrophic disorder.