Delta highlights ongoing flood control measures amid heavy downpour

Vehicular movements on Wednesday evening, were grounded at the Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, following several hours of heavy downpour.

Vehicles were trapped, and some motorcycles swept away as they battled to negotiate their way out of the flooded road.

Though, no casualty was recorded in the natural disaster but property worth millions of naira were destroyed.

The source speaking in the viral video said some motorcycles were carried away while property, including furniture, were destroyed.

The people recommended that there should be storm drainage on both sides along the Lagos-Asaba expressway.

Reacting to the viral video on Thursday, governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State urged residents, stakeholders, and organisations to take collective and proactive measures in mitigating the impact of natural disasters.

Oborevwori, who spoke through the State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, emphasized the need for community engagement, preparedness, and sustainable practices to safeguard lives and property.

He said, “Yesterday most of you saw and witnessed the very heavy downpour across the state and then the havoc it wreaked on some properties particularly vehicles and motorcycles in the Ika axis.

“I am sure it happened in other places, but it wasn’t that devastating, and we needed to address it for individuals to know what is expected of them, even as governments have continued to take actions to mitigate such occurrences.

“We are also happy that in Asaba the rain was also quite heavy but we did not see that level of disturbance. We have before now as a government been able to pay good attention to flood control measures.

“I am happy that all of you are very much aware of it that for the majority of the roads we have constructed we ensure that we have dual drains.

“In some instances, we have proceeded to build storm drainage. You are also very privy to the fact that this administration has also continued along that trajectory.

“Not long ago you accompanied the governor to inspect the storm drainage across the Ogbeogonogo market which is one of the eight phases of the outcome of a study that was carried out by the previous administration.

“Some of you also accompanied us to the area behind the Asaba Specialist Hospital, where you also saw a huge drainage and another storm drainage.

“You are aware of the effort to complete the storm drainage in the Owa-Alero axis and the storm drainage we are building in the Osubi, Okuokoko, Ugolo-Okpe, and the Warri axis, in addition to the many side drains that we are building along the roads that we are constructing.

“But what we have seen over time as a challenge, which we have continued to emphasize the need for people to become much more responsive and responsible in preventing floods.”

The governor sympathized with people whose motorcycles or vehicles were either destroyed or taken away by the flood.

He urged residents to adopt environmentally friendly practices, adhere to safety guidelines, and work together in building a more resilient Delta State.

“Today you see a number of persons when they come out from their homes they heap refuse inside these drains hoping that the flood water would help to convey such debris to a natural water course.

“By the time you do that, you have also undermined the current capacity of that water channel to the estuaries and tributaries that feed into these storm drainages.

“These tributaries that come from different shorter streets, smaller roads, have also been seriously undermined by human factors, even when governments have spent billions of Naira building and constructing these drains.

“If you move out, you will see across different places how individuals are undermining the carrying capacity of the drains that were built by heaping refuse in these drainages,” he added.