Floods and windstorms at the weekend wrecked shops and farmlands in parts of Ebonyi State, destroying property worth millions of naira.
The disaster followed a downpour that lasted more than three hours and was accompanied by strong winds.
Afikpo, Akpoha and Amasiri in Afikpo LGA, and Abakaliki metropolis were the worst hit.
The floods submerged farmlands along the Abakaliki–Afikpo Expressway and destroyed crops including yam, cassava, maize, rice and melon. Farmers said they had invested heavily in the current planting season.
Idam Cletus, a farmer, said persistent rainfall in the past week led to Saturday’s disaster. “Everything has been washed away by the flood. We may have to start planting all over again if the flood recedes,” he said.
He appealed to the Ebonyi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to assess the damage in the affected communities.
In Abakaliki, Chioma Ifeanyi, a trader at Kpirikpiri Market, said wind blew off roofs of several shops and soaked goods. “Many shop owners lost valuable goods, while traders dealing in electrical appliances recorded huge losses,” she said.
Farmer Sunday Ewa urged the state government to provide relief materials, farm inputs and improved seeds to affected farmers so they could return to their farms.