Words couldn’t expressed what was seen at St. Joseph’s Parish Umuna Orlu LGA, Imo State as the whole church both inside and outside was submerged by flood following a heavy downpour on Sunday night, March 30, 2014 that lasted for several hours.

When THE LEADER correspondent, Chukwudi Udechi visited the parish at about 7am, some parishioners who came for morning Mass without knowing that a terrible thing has happened, were seen trying their best to scoop out the flood that covered both the altar where the blessed sacrament was kept and the sacristy where the sacred vessels and other religious  items were kept.

When THE LEADER sought to know the cause of the flood that ravaged things such as church pews, food items in father’s house among others.  The Chairman of Catholic Men Organization in the parish, Chief Emmanuel Nnadozie explained that it was as a result of the road constructed to pass through the church which was padded much higher than the level it was before.  He stressed that the road linked the church to the major road was sloped too low and un-constructed.

On the contrary, the Amaigbo road, which was the major road was so high that all the flood that moved through it now headed to the un-constructed one which was very close to the fence of the church.

The CMO Chairman observed that the flood through the un-constructed road behind the church pulled down the fence and entered the church premises.  He said that the contractors that constructed the major road when contacted replied that the road leading to the church was not among roads awarded to them and may not be reconstructed till government approves it.

Chief Nnadozie noted that this was not the first time such thing was occurring.  This according to him was what made the parishioners and the entire community wrote to the authorities notifying them about the ugly incident but all to no avail.  He pointed out that the first incident attracted the attention of Senator representing Orlu Zone, Chief Hope Uzodinma, who came and witnessed the incident, promising that he will bring it to the notice of the Federal Government as well as present it to the House so that something could be done but till now nothing has been done.

Chief Nnadozie further disclosed that the flood rose above the window sitting of the church and the church has spent so much to remedy the situation.  He therefore appealed to the State and Federal Governments to come and rescue them.

The Assistant Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Chimezie Unadike, who spoke on behalf of the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Bede Idimogu (who was said to have gone on a retreat) expressed shock over the level of the flood that covered the entire premises of the church when he wanted to drive in as he was returning.  “I couldn’t drive into the compound.  I had to stop and see if I could walk into the compound but walking into the compound was not easy.  I came down from the car pulled my soutane and put inside the car, then I stepped into the water and discovered that my waist was covered with flood.”  The priest narrated with an angry voice describing it as something very appalling and incredible.

He stated that the whole ground floor of the father’s house was covered with flood, both the chapel, refectory, the sitting room, kitchen, store, chairs as well as some food items among others.  He stressed that even the father’s office was affected and that he was not sure if some important documents were spared.

It would be recalled that such incident occurred sometime last year at Uzoubi Umuna which claimed lives and lots of properties worth millions of Naira as well as affecting the traditional ruler of the community Eze B.C. Okeke.

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