Food crisis is imminent in Edo State as flood has submerged and destroyed farmlands in more than 25 communities in the state.
DAILY POST reports that the communities which are located in Esan South East, Etsako Central and Etsako East LGAs, are along the bank of the River Niger.
The development was said to have been occasioned by the release of water from Lagdo Dam by the government of Cameroun Republic
John Odaku, a resident of one of the affected communities, said farmlands and crops such as yam, cassava and groundnut, among others, have been submerged by flood while already harvested farm produce were swept away.
Odaku said the residents could not evacuate their belongings due to the rising level of the flood, which, according to him, is more than that of last year.
“We couldn’t savage our crops and farm produce and livestock as they were swept away by the ravaging flood,” he said.
He called on the state and federal governments to come to their aid, noting that the local government has been shouldering their needs.
Ojimah Christopher, Desk Officer, Esan South East Local Government on Relief Materials and Distribution, informed newsmen that 25 communities in the LGA have been submerged by flood.
Ojimah who is also the Secretary, Emergency Committee, said the Internally Displaced Camp in the local government has already been filled by displaced persons.
“There are are some communities, especially Ifeku, that have been completely submerged and their property and livestock swept away,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency has charged the people to relocate to IDP camps to avoid casualties.
The NEMA Head, Benin Operation Office, Dahiru Yusuf, who made the call, said the agency has been monitoring the flood situation in collaboration with state and local governments and other stakeholders.
