Awka — At least 16 people from Ifite Dunu community in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State have lost their lives to a devastating erosion in the community. Also, over 180 families have been sacked by erosion so far and they had fled the community and became refugees in some neighboring towns.

Meanwhile, three South- East states of Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi as well as some states from North Central zones may be thrown into prolonged darkness if no urgent measure is taken to save the 330KVA high tension pole at Obieze village of Ifitie Dunu which is presently under severe erosion threat. The poles transmits power from the South-South to some states in the South-East and North-Central.

Despite the communal effort of the people to check the various erosion sites in the community, their effort has not been able to control the erosion which is clearly beyond their capacity.

The erosion which has threaten the community for over 10 years, had however been increasing every year, and it is presently threatening other neigbouring communities of Ukpo, Abba, Umudioka, Umunachi and Abagana.

According to Mr. Mike Nwafor an indigene of Ifite Dunu, who is also the Managing Director of Anambra Housing Corporation, the community has made tremendous effort to control the erosion ravaging the town, but "our effort could not stop the problem."

"We also stopped excavation of sand in the affected areas as part of the effort to check the menace."

"One of the biggest risk is that the erosion is coming from three channels and if it is not urgently checked, the entire community will be wiped out", and many states from the South-East and North-Central geo-political zones will be thrown into darkness as one of the high tension poles of the 330 KVA line is under serious threat", Nwafor warned.

Another community leader, Ozo Anekwe, described the erosion menace as "frightened and dangerous".