Traders at the international building materials market in Ogidi and Marine Market Onitsha, Anambra State are counting loses over the submerging of the markets by flood.
Marine market hosts traders whose chief commodities are tubers of yam, potatoes, plantain and other food items.
Parts of the state have been flooded following the release of water from a dam in Cameroon but heavy rainfall on Thursday night compounded the problem in Ogidi.
Marcel Mbamalu, a trader at the market told Standardobservers that billions have been lost by the traders whose goods have been submerged.
“We woke up to see this. Traders have lost billions due to the flooding. We don’t know where to start,” he said.
Mrs. Cordelia Nwosu, a yam seller at the Marine market also said that the level of the flood is increasing steadily, resulting to very low patronage as buyers are scared of coming into the market.
“We are moving our yams and other food items away so that the floodwaters will not all of a sudden sweep them away; we are afraid the worst may happen but God forbid”.
Another yam seller, Mrs. Ngozi Okeke said, “our goods are no longer safe because of the flood; we have no place to shade our goods any more”.
Since it is expected that the rain may continue till the ending of October, she pleaded that the State Government should come to their rescue to secure a better place for them to stay.
The flood is rapidly entering Ose Market which is another yam depot in Onitsha.
Displaced persons are continually beseeching Holding Centres in the area especially the Crowther Memorial Primary School.
