By LUCY OSUIZIGBO-OKECHUKWU

Survivors of the devastating floods of 2012, 2022, and 2024 in Anambra, on Friday, recounted their experiences during a community flood preparedness simulation by the Red Cross Society.

The event, held in Inoma Community in Anambra West Local Government Area, brought together residents, who still continue to grapple with the aftermath of annual flooding.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the repeated incidents took many lives, destroyed homes and ravaged farmlands.

The drill, one of 12 simulations under the Italian Government-funded Flood Resilience Project, aimed to improve community preparedness and emergency response readiness in flood-prone areas.

A survivor and youth leader in Inoma, Mr. Francis Odotule, recounted how flood washed away his entire farm business.

?Flood has damaged our farmlands, livestock and livelihoods. What Red Cross is doing today is a big relief.

?We appeal to government and agencies to sustain this support because our survival depends on it,? he said.

Another survivor, Mrs. Ndidiamaka Iroegbu, a mother of four, said she lost everything ? her home, farm, and livestock, adding that she had never felt so helpless in her life.

?We relocated to makeshift camps set up for the displaced.

?Sometimes, there will be food shortage. We also face poor sanitation and the risk of disease outbreaks

?But we appreciate Red Cross for this intervention.

?The training will help us better prepare for future emergencies,? Iroegbu said.

A farmer, Mrs. Maureen Omataala, described how flood has repeatedly turned life upside down in the community.

?I am a farmer, but since 2012, flood has been ravaging our communities.

?Whenever flood comes, it submerges our houses, destroys our crops and sweeps away property worth millions naira.

?Many times, we escape by climbing rooftops or flee with boats.

?Today?s simulation has taught us safety measures and how to be first responders before help arrives,? she said.

Speaking during the exercise, Anambra Branch Secretary of Red Cross, Mr. Kingsley Okoye, said the exercise underscored the importance of proper planning and community training.

Okoye said the simulation aimed to strengthen local resilience and equip vulnerable communities with life-saving skills, as climate-related disasters grow increasingly frequent and severe.

?This simulation is both a success and a learning opportunity.

?It demonstrates the critical role of first responders in reducing disaster impact.

?With teamwork and collaboration, lives can be saved and losses reduced,? Okoye said.

Also addressing the community, Mrs. Idarabo Ekanem, the Senior Disaster Management Officer and Project Manager, Flood Recovery and Resilience Project, talked on the broader aim of the exercise.

?The project is ongoing in 12 states, including Anambra.

?Our goal is to improve resilience by sensitising communities to what to do before, during and after floods.

?We are also renovating public facilities, strengthening water plants and providing financial and technical support to reduce vulnerability,? Ekanem said.

The exercise recreated a realistic flood emergency scenario, such as early warning broadcasts, community engagement and distribution of relief items.

Others are rapid evacuation drills, boat-led search, underwater search and rescue as well as first aid response and transportation of casualties with ambulance. (NAN)

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