Hundreds of residents across several communities in Rivers State have been forced to flee their homes after torrential rainfall triggered widespread flooding, submerging houses, vehicles and other properties and disrupting movement in parts of Port Harcourt and neighbouring local government areas.
Among the worst-hit areas are Eneka, Rukpokwu, the East-West Road axis around Choba, Peter Odili Road, parts of Aba Expressway, NTA Road, Uzuoba and Rumukwachi, as well as communities in Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Etche, Oyigbo and Eleme Local Government Areas.
The rising floodwaters have left some residents stranded and heightened concerns over public safety and the possible spread of water-borne diseases. In some affected communities, residents were seen evacuating their homes as floodwaters continued to rise.
Residents described the situation as one of the worst flooding incidents experienced in parts of Port Harcourt in recent years and appealed to the state government for urgent intervention. Concerns have also emerged over the safety of residents following reports that fish, crocodiles and other reptiles had entered some flooded areas.
Amid the worsening situation, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, visited some of the affected communities to assess the impact of the flooding and engage with victims.
Meanwhile, the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council has commenced the desilting of canals and drainage channels across flood-prone communities as part of measures to improve water flow. The council said it had deployed swamp buggies to strategic locations to facilitate the cleaning and desilting of drainage channels, canals and other water bodies.
Supervising the exercise, Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, Dr Gift Worlu, urged residents to stop dumping refuse and other materials into drainage channels, warning that such practices obstruct water flow and worsen flooding.
“Residents should desist from dumping refuse, waste and other materials into drainage channels, as such practices obstruct the free flow of water and contribute to flooding,” Worlu said.
He assured residents that the council would sustain its intervention in affected communities, while the council appealed for cooperation by keeping drainage channels and waterways free from waste and other obstructions.
In a separate development, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre has submitted a five-year Integrated Flood Management Master Plan for Port Harcourt and its environs to the Rivers State Government. The plan, covering 2026 to 2031, identifies blocked drains, construction on waterways, inadequate desilting and climate change among factors contributing to flooding.
YEAC-Nigeria proposed six measures, including flood mapping, emergency desilting of 45 kilometres of drains, construction of five retention basins, installation of early-warning sensors, planting of one million mangroves and deployment of Environmental Marshals. The organisation also called for the establishment of a Flood Resilience Fund and legislation creating the Rivers State Emergency Management Agency.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, YEAC-Nigeria urged the state government to approve the master plan, release N1.2 billion in emergency funding for immediate desilting and convene an emergency flood summit. The organisation also called on the public and media to support urgent measures to mitigate the impact of flooding across the state.
