In Bayelsa, flood-ravaged residents groan for food, gasoline prices soar

Philip Godfrey was half awake when water came with torrential intensity and submerged his flat in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa state, in October. But when the 37-year-old was thrown back into reality, he jumped out of his building and found the whole neighborhood had been submerged in flooding. Although he struggled to salvage what he could of his property, many of his neighbors weren't so lucky as the flood washed away their property and other essentials, including groceries. food.

Philip Godfrey

"This threat of flooding has displaced almost everyone in my neighborhood and many c I can't even find their people as we speak,” Mr. Philip told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview in Yenagoa the last week of October.

“There is now a severe hunger in Bayelsa because the flood has disrupted so much and created so much panic. In the words of our Governor, “Bayelsa State is under attack from a natural flood".

Flooded sections around Philip's neighborhood

Not far from the popular Ekeki car park, Abigail Ebimie stood akimbo as if she was lost in thought. His wares – some fruits and vegetables – had become scarce due to the massive effect of the flood which washed away his possessions. She told PREMIUM TIMES that things got tough for her due to the devastating effect of the flood.

She said: "The little money I earn from selling fruit and vegetables allows me to feed my family. But the recent flood washed away my belongings and left us homeless. Now I don't I no longer have to think about where to sleep alone, I have to think about what me and my children are going to eat. And things are very expensive now."

Along Tombia Park, the market

Like Mr. Philip and Mrs. Ebimie, the people of Yenagoa and other communities saw their lives and their businesses disrupted by recent floods ions that have swept away their community and taken away critical infrastructure.

Flood in Bayelsa

Although floods are quite common during the rainy season, especially in southern Nigeria, this year's floods have had devastating effects on many Nigerians. Across the country, more than 600 people have died and another 1.3 million have been forced from their homes, according to official government figures. Aid agencies fear the floods could contribute to a health catastrophe and Nigeria has already seen a rise in cholera infections as floods ravage many...