When the Rain Refused to Stop: My Experience with a Natural Disaster

There is always this eerie feeling that comes with the sound of rain when it had refused to stop. At first, it always looks very calm and even refreshing with all the coziness. But as the cloud remains cloudy and undried, when the road path is unclear and filled with water and low rise and eve high rise homes are beginning to drown, then that is when fear starts to set in.

I remember in the year 2022 and 2023 when flood swallowed up some major eastern parts in my country especially in Bayelsa state which even affected the home town of one of the former presidents. It was not just an ordinary water rise, it was followed with panic, and helplessness.

One day in my community, I was coming back home but it was raining, with that, I did not allow that to stop my movements because it was already getting dark. On getting to the major bridge that linked the street I was coming from to my street, I discovered that the bridge was already filled up and I was unable to see or even navigate through it even though I pass through the place almost everyday, but the water has taken over and attempting to pass through it... hmmm maybe I would not be here writing this today.

I had no other choice than to turn back and take a longer route which I did not planned for. Unfortunately, the houses nearby were also filled with water because the flood was beyond what they expected. This flood swallowed part of that community, some were walking ankles deep in water as they lost their sense of safety.

The heavy flood did not give any warning signs, no government intervention, it did not just flood the houses near this bridge and did not just take material belongings aways, but it revealed the emotional burden of being powerless and lack of preparedness as those people were just finding means to survive.

After I witnessed this event, I have always put into action to always get ready like I am the next victim of this disaster, but God forbid it. Put some safety measures in place. Keep all my important documents in a well sealed and waterproof material. And most importantly, I always listen to nature and never ignore any signs I see because above all, there will always be a sign before the big bang strikes.

But above all things, I have gotten to know that being resilience is cultural. We should learn to rely on eachother as a community as we pray, shere things in common, crack jokes together to get through it. Even though when faced with these unexpected disasters, it may pull walls down but at the same time, it it telling us to build a kind solidarity that nothing will be able to wash away.

Thank for reading.

_{Images created by MetaAi}