Flood submerges homes and offices in Bayelsa state

These are no best times for residents of Yenegoa, Bayelsa State capital, many of whose homes and offices were submerged following Monday torrential rainfall in the state.

Most of the occupants of affected homes and offices blamed the renewed flooding on the ongoing expansion of roads and other infrastructural projects being executed by the present administration.

The contractors handling the projects were been accused of not providing space for drainage system.

The areas affected include Azikoro Road, Ekeki; Road Safety Road, Ovom; Diete-Spiff Road, Ovom; Elebele Road, Opolo; Bayelsa Palm Ring Road and Swali Round About-Ekoli Bridge Road where dualization work is taking place.

The residents cried that the ugly situation had become worrisome as they scoop water from their houses each time it rains heavily.

Mr Ifiemi Macaulay, a resident of Ekeki-Yenagoa, said the flooding had increased the number of mosquitoes and other dangerous insects around the area especially at night.

According to the father of five, two of his children had undergone bouts of malaria attack in recent times, adding that he is afraid that the entire family might be invaded by malaria if nothing is done about the situation.

“Our problem in this area is that our houses get flooded whenever there is heavy rainfall. We observe that this Azikoro Road they are expanding, they have covered the drainage that there was previously there”, Macaulay said.

A resident of Ovom, Yenagoa, Madam Oyoyo Ebisentei, complained that the flooding was disturbing her means of livelihood as the spot where she roasts plantain and fish for her customers usually gets flooded whenever it rains.