Last two weeks Thursday marked the first of such long-hours rain and the destructions were massive. I was even trapped on the road as I had boarded a public bus on my way home that day and on getting to my street, I had to stay in a close-by shop patiently waiting for the rain to reduce its intensity. 

I watched as the drainage opposite the shop I was staying appeared to have been blocked by a huge object-which turned out to be huge planks- and forced the flood water to flow on the road and also towards people's shops which lead many people in the affected shops to scamper for safety under the rain in other shops in a bid to wait and see if the rain reduces its intensity.

The rain slowed and I immediately jogged home but on my way home, I could already see damages on the road occasioned by the huge flooding with inadequate or no drainage channel available.

I walked through my crescent and it was the same story.

The next day, I heard stories from all over Anambra state of the destruction caused by the rain. I was told how opportunists in heavily flooded areas backed residents at a fee to take them across the clear road. I also learned that the flood invaded many houses and had to keep people awake to avoid been submerged. It was also said that the flood carried a car.

The most touching was the one that happened in Oyi local government area where a small river overflew its bank and invaded the pond of a fish farmer who had started the farm with loans running into millions of naira. According to locals, the river was not supposed to overflow its bank as it has never happened before added to the fact that it's a small river. That shows the level of flooding that happened.

The major reason almost everyone was blaming for the huge flooding was the blocked drainage channels in the state. Many people do not follow the master plan development structure for the state while building their houses hence blocking the path meant for drainage channels and leaving the flood with no option but to invade the next accessible house or flow on the road.

Again, absence of drainage channel in some areas is also a major contributor as people are now forced to fill up several used bags of cement and set them up at junctions to stop the flood from flowing through their streets and causing erosion.

This is not the first time huge flooding is happening in Anambra State. There was actually a flood disaster in the state in 2012 which had to do with excess flooding in Cameroon which flowed into the river Niger and consequently affected the state when river Niger overflew its bank, and this time, at this rate, the 2012 flood disaster remains an expectation unless something is done and fast.

Part of it is massive awareness and that, I will surely do as well as talking to the government on possible strategies and what could be done. All hands just have to be on deck to avoid huge destruction.