The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Friday commenced distribution of relief materials to  persons affected by windstorm and flood disasters in Abia communities.

Head, NEMA Owerri Operations Office, Mr Ifeanyi Nnaji, said during the flag-off in Umuahia, that the disasters occurred in some communities in five local government areas (LGA) in March.

He said that the affected local government areas are Umuahia North, Ikwuano, Arochukwu, Ohafia, and Bende.

Nnaji said that a joint team of assessors from his office and Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) carried out an on-the-spot assessment of the damage to determine the need for analysis of the affected persons.

According to him, the problems with disasters are enormous and the aftermaths of it are sorrow, isolation, grief, anguish, hunger, and colossal loss of lives and poverties.

Presenting the items to the State Government, Nnaji acknowledged that the affected communities and persons were traumatised psychologically, thereby reducing their participation and contribution to national development.

“You should please note that the relief materials provided to you today are not to pay you back for all that were destroyed by the disaster, but only to cushion the effect of the unfortunate incident.

“I, therefore, on behalf of the Director-General of NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, formally present these items to the affected persons through your good offices,” he said.