Residents of Bayelsa State are growing increasingly concerned as rising floodwaters, intensified by continuous heavy rainfall, disrupt local communities.
While water levels have not reached the extreme flooding seen in 2022, several areas—including Amassoma, Biseni, Anibeze, and Akenpai—have experienced significant inundation.
The Flood and Erosion Control Directorate has sought to reassure residents, stating that water levels are expected to begin receding within a few days. Walson Omuso, the head of the Directorate, informed The PUNCH Metro on Wednesday in Yenagoa that the recent rains, accompanied by thunder, suggest a potential decrease in water levels.
Omuso emphasized that although flooding cannot be entirely prevented due to ongoing rainfall, its adverse effects can be mitigated.
“The flood will subside soon. In about three or four days, you will begin to see signs. The rain these days, accompanied by thunder, shows that the water will recede soon. Our work is not about aiding flooded communities but about prevention, though flooding cannot be stopped as it results from rain,” he said.
He also noted that his agency has been actively clearing water channels to facilitate runoff and drainage.
A resident of Akenpai in Yenagoa, Amos Aherhoke, shared that if he hadn’t elevated his floor, floodwaters would have overtaken his home. He explained that he now has to roll up his trousers whenever he leaves or returns home due to the persistent flooding.
Joshua Odoko, a farmer from Anibeze in the Sagbama Local Government Area, expressed concern over the floodwaters that have engulfed his community. As a result, he has been forced to start harvesting his cassava earlier than planned to avoid losses.
The flooding issue has also been brought to light on social media by Comrade Alagoa Morris, the Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Defenders Network, who shared details of the situation in Biseni, located in the Yenagoa Local Government Area.
In Obogoro, along the Yenagoa-Oporoma road, homes have similarly been inundated, prompting residents to construct makeshift wooden bridges for access to their houses.
Farmers, particularly those who have yet to harvest their crops, are especially worried. One farmer, who was waiting to harvest his potatoes in hopes of better prices, mentioned that with the rising water levels, he might soon need to gather them before the flooding worsens.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he noted, “I left the potatoes in the hope that prices would increase, but with the way the water is rising, I may have to harvest them soon.”
