Massive flooding restricts traffic on Ikom-Calabar high way

The Ikom Calabar Federal High Way has been overtaken by flood, as motorists and road users were trapped in Okuni community after a heavy downpour in the early hours of Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the flood was as a result of overflow of water from the Ikom River along the road linking from Calabar to the Mfum border of Cameroon.

Narrating his ordeal to journalists, a motorist, Mr Johnson Ada, said his vehicle broke down and his passengers were forced to walk through the water which is almost at knee level.

According to him, anytime the river is full during heavy rains, it overflows to the road.

“It has always been like this anytime we are in the raining season, my vehicle has broken down and the passengers have to join another vehicle to Ikom, it is a huge loss to me.

”Government should do something about this road, we can’t continue like this,” he said.

Confirming the disaster, Mr Abdullahi Hassan, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Cross River, said that at the moment they are contacting sister agencies to see what they can do to rescue the situation.

He added that “I have called the Ikom, Sector Commander to go and do thorough assessment of the flooded road axis.”

NAN reports that the water is currently rising above 3 feet high over the federal road, and almost 300 yards long from the River Bank.

NAN also reports that there has been torrential rainfall in many parts of Cross River in the last 48 hours, especially in Calabar.

(NAN)