Torrential rainfall on Thursday left large parts of Uyo under water, destroying homes, disrupting campus life and forcing thousands of residents to flee through rising floodwaters. The overnight downpour intensified before dawn, overwhelming drainage channels and turning major roads into fast‑moving streams that swept through neighborhoods across the Akwa Ibom State capital.
Families in Abak Road and surrounding communities watched as water surged into their homes, soaking furniture, electronics and years of personal belongings. Many residents waded through waist‑deep water to rescue children and salvage what they could before the floodwaters carried items away. Similar scenes unfolded in Aka Itiam, Nkemba Street, Uwah Street and nearby areas, where buildings remained partially submerged long after the rain stopped.
Videos shared online showed residents carrying mattresses, clothing and household items to safer ground. One distressed resident said, “We escaped with our lives, but almost everything we own has been destroyed. Many families have nowhere to sleep tonight.”
The University of Uyo was also hit hard. Students in the female hostel, Hall Six, said they woke around 4:30 a.m. to find water pouring through leaking roofs and damaged ceilings. Mattresses, books, clothing and electronic devices were soaked as students scrambled to move their belongings to dry corners. Several described the incident as one of the worst they had experienced, blaming recurring maintenance failures despite paying accommodation fees.
Floodwaters also swept through Ewet Housing Extension, trapping some residents inside their homes. Those who monitored the rainfall said many drains were already clogged with plastic waste, silt and household refuse before the storm, preventing water from flowing freely. Some residents reported seeing neighbors dump refuse directly into drainage channels during the rainfall, a practice they say worsens flooding and puts entire communities at risk.
Local authorities said there were no confirmed casualties as of Thursday evening but warned that assessments were still underway. Emergency workers and volunteers helped evacuate stranded families in several neighborhoods, while others assisted students in moving belongings out of flooded hostel rooms.
Residents in IBB and other affected areas urged the government to strengthen urban planning and improve drainage maintenance. They said existing flood‑control systems were not built to withstand increasingly intense rainfall linked to changing weather patterns. Some called for stricter enforcement of sanitation regulations and better public compliance with waste‑disposal laws to reduce flood risks across the city.
Business owners reported significant losses, with shops along major roads suffering damage to goods and equipment. Transport operators said the flooding halted movement for hours, leaving commuters stranded and disrupting commercial activity across Uyo.
Thursday’s disaster has renewed calls for long‑term investment in infrastructure, stronger environmental practices and improved emergency preparedness. As cleanup efforts begin, many families are counting their losses and hoping for immediate relief from state authorities and humanitarian agencies.
