At least two children have died after being swept away by floodwaters that have submerged 14 villages in Mpu and Okpanku communities, Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The flooding began on Sunday evening and worsened on Tuesday and Wednesday following more than 48 hours of heavy rainfall.
The victims, two brothers aged seven and eight, were reportedly swept away two days before the flood intensified.
More than 10 buildings have reportedly collapsed, while extensive farmlands, including rice and yam farms, have been submerged. Several shops and rice mills at Afor Okpanku Market have also remained underwater for two days.
The flood has also overwhelmed the popular Ivo Bridge, cutting off the road between Mpu and Okpanku and making movement between the communities difficult.
Obinna Ogbuke, Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Enugu State Council, and a native of Mpu, described the situation as the worst flooding he had witnessed in the area.
According to him, eight villages in Okpanku and six in Mpu have been affected, with several homes submerged.
Ogbuke said the road connecting Mpu and Okpanku had been cut off, while three villages in Okpanku could no longer access other parts of the community.
He added that officials of the National Emergency Management Agency and the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency who visited the area were also unable to cross some of the flooded sections.
Residents displaced by the disaster have taken refuge in public buildings and places of worship. Some displaced residents from Mpu are staying at Amachara Town Hall, while others from Ukey Mpu have taken shelter at Ukwu Primary School. Displaced residents from Amiyi Okpanku are reportedly staying at a Methodist Church.
Ogbuke warned that urgent intervention was needed as the floodwaters had yet to recede.
“The water is not receding, and the people need urgent attention. It is an emergency that needs serious intervention; otherwise, we may begin to lose more people,” he said.
Meanwhile, the youth leader of Okpanku, George Ahaefuna, said the flood had destroyed crops cultivated by residents throughout the year.
He said rice and yam farms worth millions of naira had been destroyed and appealed to the Federal Government, Enugu State Government, Aninri Local Government Council, NEMA and SEMA to provide urgent assistance.
A trader at Afor Okpanku Market also said goods worth millions of naira had been submerged for two days.
The councillor representing Mpu Ward, Edwin Ogbuka, described the flooding as life-threatening and called for immediate intervention. He attributed the disaster to the overflow of water from the abandoned Ivo Dam project.
A community leader, Magnus Chukwu, said six villages in Mpu had been displaced, with affected families taking shelter at Amachalla Town School.
The flooding has renewed concerns over the long-running Ivo River Dam project, which residents have previously linked to flooding in Mpu and Okpanku.
The Federal Government's official dam profile lists the Ivo River Dam as a 20-million-cubic-metre earthfill dam in Aninri, Enugu State, under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources. The project is classified as ongoing.
The House of Representatives noted in 2023 that Mpu and Okpanku were downstream of the dam and called for the project's completion.
House proceedings in October 2024 also recorded concerns that the reservoir could overflow during the rainy season and that the incomplete spillway had contributed to flooding in surrounding communities.
Ogbuke blamed the latest flooding on the abandoned dam project, saying the situation had become a serious risk to residents.
He said the flood had expanded from farmlands into residential areas, resulting in collapsed buildings and the displacement of entire communities.
Residents said Okpanku had previously experienced major flooding in 1939 and 1965, with the latest incident becoming another severe flooding episode.
The Chairman of Aninri Local Government Area, Prince Ugochukwu Nwanjoku, said he had contacted Senator Osita Ngwu and the member representing the area in the House of Representatives, Anayo Onwuegbu, over the disaster.
Nwanjoku said photographs of affected communities, including Ihube and Ihuezeoke in Okpanku, had been shared with the lawmakers.
He said Senator Ngwu had begun discussions with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources regarding the emergency, while plans were also being considered for an inspection of the affected areas.
The council chairman described the situation as unacceptable and expressed concern over the scale of the losses.
With rainfall continuing and floodwaters yet to recede, residents and community leaders are calling for immediate evacuation assistance, relief materials, damage assessment and urgent measures to prevent further loss of lives.
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