The unending flood has continued to wreak havoc across Bayelsa State, South-south Nigeria.
The flood had washed up several corpses at a cemetery – Azikoro Government Cemetery – in Yenagoa, raising health concerns from the offensive odour in the neighbourhoods.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the flood, which has displaced thousands of residents, had compelled the electricity company in charge of the state to shut down public power supply.
This was done out of safety concerns, as most transformers had been submerged.
Iselema Gbaranbiri, the commissioner for environment who doubles as the chairperson of Bayelsa Flood Committee, confirmed that three floating corpses were recovered from a particular scene.
He said that the corpses were immediately reburied and the environment properly fumigated.
He explained that the ministry got a report that a corpse was washed up but officials dispatched to the scene found three.
“The floating of corpses was actually reported. I got the report of a floating corpse and I directed the Head of Health and Sanitation to get the corpse reburied. Two more corpses were recovered and reburied and the environment was properly fumigated,” Mr Gbaranbiri said.
Meanwhile, residents near the area had appealed to the state government to relocate the cemetery to safeguard public health.
They also said the chemical applied to and stench from decomposing corpses pose serious health hazards to residents. They called on the government to provide relief for them and relocate the cemetery after the flood.
Jeremiah Owoupele, a resident of the area, appealed to Governor Douye Diri to relocate the cemetery for health reasons.
