Flood washed-up corpses at Bayelsa cemetery

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The ongoing flood has wreaked havoc across the state, not sparing the Bayelsa government cemetery at Azikoro in Yenagoa where it exhumed several corpses raising health concerns from the offensive odour in the neighbourhood.

The flood which has displaced at least one million residents compelled the power distribution company to shut public power out of safety concerns to avoid electrocution as most transformers are submerged.

Commissioner for Environment who doubles as Chairman of the Bayelsa Flood Committee, Mr Iselema Gbaranbiri, confirmed that three floating corpses were recovered from the scene.

He said that the corpses were immediately reburied with the environment properly fumigated.

He explained that the ministry got a report that one 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 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.” Gbaranbiri said.

Meanwhile, residents near the area want the cemetery relocated to safeguard public health.

They also noted that chemical and decomposed corpses both pose serious health hazards to residents, calling on the government to provide relief for them and relocate the cemetery after the flood.

Jeremiah Owoupele, who resides in the area called on Gov Douye Diri to relocate the cemetery for health reasons.