Residents of Webber Street in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State are assessing losses worth millions of naira following a devastating flash flood that submerged homes, destroyed valuables, displaced families, and claimed two lives after Thursday's prolonged rainfall.
The heavy downpour, which began at about 3:00 a.m. and lasted for several hours, overwhelmed the Calabar drainage channel, leaving several communities inundated and residents stranded.
One of the victims, Etim Bassey Edet, an indigene of Nkakad Ikot Ekriba living on Atamunu Road, recounted how he carried his five-year-old child on his shoulders to safety as floodwaters rose to neck level inside his home.
According to him, the flood destroyed virtually all his household belongings, including furniture, a flat-screen television, refrigerator, beds, clothing, and other valuables estimated at over ₦5 million.
"The water entered my house around 3:00 a.m. and rose to my neck. I had no choice but to carry my five-year-old child on my shoulders to save the child from drowning. Everything I own has been destroyed," he lamented, adding that neither state nor federal emergency agencies had reached out to him.
Another resident, Oscar Daniel, said the disaster affected more than 30 families within the neighbourhood, with damages estimated at over ₦20 million.
"Almost every electrical appliance and household item has been damaged. The losses recorded in this area alone are enormous," he said.
Daniel appealed to the government to urgently construct underground drainage systems and cover the entire stretch of the Calabar drainage channel to prevent future flooding.
He warned that unless immediate preventive measures are taken, residents would continue to suffer similar disasters whenever heavy rains occur.
The flood also caused severe structural damage, washing away sections of the canal along Mayne Avenue. In addition to the destruction of property, two persons reportedly lost their lives after being swept away by overflowing floodwaters.
Another resident, Henry Okon, urged authorities to prioritise the maintenance of the Calabar drainage channel rather than carrying out temporary interventions whenever flooding occurs.
He also recommended the construction of additional drainage channels across the Calabar metropolis to ease pressure on the existing channel and improve flood control.
Several affected residents have appealed to both the Cross River State and Federal Governments for emergency relief, relocation support, and a firsthand assessment of the destruction in the affected communities.
Meanwhile, the Head of Operations of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Uyo Operations Office, Aisueni Mmandu, called for stronger collaboration between government agencies and local communities to mitigate the impact of flooding across the state.
She disclosed that NEMA would intensify public awareness campaigns on flood prevention and disaster preparedness across all 18 local government areas of Cross River State. She also blamed the indiscriminate disposal of refuse into drains and waterways for worsening flood incidents, urging residents to adopt responsible environmental sanitation practices.
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