As someone who travels a lot, I’ve seen many natural disasters in different parts of the country. Some were not too serious, others were really scary. Most of them have been floods, but I’ve also witnessed strong winds that can blow off rooftops and even pull down trees. But the one I really want to talk about is the flood I witnessed in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State
Lokoja is one of those places that always have flood issues almost every year. It’s where the famous Confluence Bridge is located, the spot where River Niger and River Benue meet. The first time I saw the confluence, it amazed me how two rivers could join like that. One side looks clean and the other side looks brown and muddy. It’s something you don’t forget in a hurry
During the rainy season, especially when there’s continuous downpour or when the Kanji Dam is opened, some parts of Lokoja usually get flooded. It doesn’t always affect the whole town, but this particular year I’m talking about, it was very severe. It was one of the worst I’ve seen
The water level rose so high that it almost matched the height of the bridge that links Lokoja to Abuja. That bridge is very tall, so imagine how much water it would take to reach that level. Vehicles couldn’t pass through anymore. People travelling in or out of Lokoja were stuck. Some drivers had to park for days just waiting for the water to reduce
Many houses were completely submerged. Some buildings were covered halfway, others had water entering through their windows. It was really heartbreaking. People were forced to leave their homes and move to higher grounds or stay with relatives far away. You could see the pain on people’s faces. Shops were shut down, properties got destroyed, and families lost so much
Luckily for me, the house I was staying at the time was not affected. Lokoja is surrounded by mountains and the area where my house was located was on a higher ground. That’s probably what saved us. But even though we were not directly affected, we could feel the suffering of others around us
It was a bad experience for many people and I wouldn’t wish that kind of disaster on anyone. Seeing people wade through dirty water just to get to safety, watching them lose everything, it changes the way you see life. You begin to appreciate shelter, food and even dry clothes
From my experience, I think one of the best ways to reduce the damage of flood is for government to create better drainage systems and stop people from building on flood-prone lands. People should also stop dumping trash in drainages because it blocks water flow. And more awareness needs to be created. Many people still don’t take flood warnings seriously
If you ever find yourself in a flood situation, don’t wait till the last minute. Move to higher ground quickly and keep your important documents safe. Water may look calm at first, but once it rises, it can take everything with it
