…As state govt seeks collective action against natural disasters
By Ochuko Akuopha
ASABA – VEHICULAR movement were Wednesday evening, grounded along Old Lagos – Agbor Road, Boji-Boji Agbor in Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State, following several hours of torrential downpour.
Vehicles were trapped and some motorcycles swept away as they battled to negotiate their way out of the flooded road.
No casualty was however, recorded in the natural disaster.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has sympathized with those whose motorcycles or vehicles were either destroyed or taken away by the flood,
calling for a collective positive action against natural disasters.
The State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, at a press conference in Asaba, on Thursday, urged residents to adopt environmentally friendly practices.
Aniagwu who was reacting to the torrential rain and flood erosion 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 government have continued to take actions to mitigate such occurrence.
“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 majority of the roads we have constructed we ensure that we have dual drains.
“In some instances we have proceeded to build storm drainages. You are also very privy to the fact that this administration have also continued along that trajectory. “
Aniagwu added: “I sympathize with some of our brothers and sisters whose motorcycles or vehicles were either destroyed or taken away by the flood.
“We have giant drains on both sides of that road to accommodate flood water whenever it rains quite heavily. “
According to him, “For quite a long time now as an administration, we have emphasized the need for our people to be very environmentally conscious.
“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 feeds into these storm drainages.
“These tributaries that come from different shorter streets, smaller roads, have also been seriously undermined by human factors, even when government have spent billions of Naira building and constructing these drains.”
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