Flooding: Anambra polytechnic shut down

The management of Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra has ordered that students immediately vacate the campus.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Obini Onuchukwu, the institution’s spokesman, also ordered that all academic activities should be suspended.

Onuchukwu said the directive became necessary after some parts of the campus became flooded.

“The access roads to the campus, fields, offices and classrooms have all been submerged and the students are having challenges accessing their classrooms,” the statement read.

“The institution’s perimeter fencing, electric transformer and generating sets are also submerged, resulting in total blackout.

“We encounter flooding almost yearly, but the magnitude of this year’s flooding has gone beyond what we had recorded in the recent past. Apart from the campus, hostels belonging to individuals where our students stay off campus were also submerged, making life and activities in the school impossible.

“The flood had already damaged some household appliances and personal belongings of the students such as books and mattresses.”

He said the emergency holiday may be extended if the remedial works planned by the institution failed to take place.

The National Emergency Management Agency had, on Monday, declared the flooding in Anambra and Kogi a national disaster.

The emergency unit of the Nigerian Army was also directed to begin search and rescue operations.