By ANAYO OKOLI

UMUAHIA — AT least 10 houses have been submerged by gully erosion which rendered many homeless in three villages of Isuochi in Umunneochi Local Govrnment Area of Abia State.

Many other buildings in the villages are currently on the verge of collapse, while others are under serious threat on account of heavy flooding.

The affected communities are Umuobasi Mbala, Umuaku, and Umudim Ngodo villages of Isuochi.

Vanguard observed that some of the affected buildings included a storey building each at Umuaku and Umuobasi Mbala respectively.

Farms were also destroyed by the erosion which is fast eating deep into other parts of the community.

Information from the state Ministry of Environment said more  than N8 billion would be required to effectively tackle erosion menace in the area, which it said was clearly beyond the capacity of  Abia State government.

Meanwhile, the member representing Umunneochi in Abia State House of Assembly, Prince Ikedi Ezekwesiri, said problem began last year, following heavy flooding in the area.

Ezekwesiri said he had earlier drawn the attention of officials of the Ministry of Environment to the problem.

He said: “We have never witnessed such dangerous devastation before and this is more worrisome in the sense that these gullies developed in less than one year.

“This is certainly beyond the state government and I appeal to the State Ministry of Environment to prepare a robust report that will enable the Federal Government to intervene through the ecological fund.

“In the meantime, I will urge residents of the area to do the little they can to ensure that the situation did not worsen while we wait for the Federal Government to assist us.”

He appealed to the Federal Government to come to the aid of the people to save them from further hardship.

Permanent Secretary, Abia State Ministry of Environment, Mr. Bernard Ogbonna,who lamented the devastation caused by the erosion said: “We are sending a distressed call to the Federal Government to rescue our people from this dangerous predicament so that the affected communities will not be wiped out.”