View original article here // Punch Nigeria Newspaper
Residents in several Ondo communities are appealing to the state government for urgent assistance after devastating floods destroyed properties worth millions of naira last weekend. The floods, caused by heavy rainfall from Friday to Sunday, severely impacted areas in the Owo, Okitipupa, Ilaje, and Ese Odo Local Government Areas.
Widespread Destruction and Displaced Residents
The downpour led to widespread destruction, with buildings damaged and bridges submerged in affected communities such as Uso, Ayeka, Ikoya, Igbodigo, Igodan, and Igbotako.
Joshua Jemiloni, a resident of the Okitipupa community, described the immediate impact. “The flooding was caused by erosion flowing down from Igodan, coupled with the fact that the Igodan stream along the road overflowed its banks during the torrential downpour.” He noted that around 10 buildings were affected in his area, forcing families to evacuate to safer neighboring houses. Besides structural damage to walls and foundations, residents lost valuable possessions including electronics, clothing, bedding, chairs, rugs, and kitchen utensils.
Jemiloni attributed the flooding to a blocked canal, despite it being dredged earlier this year. He urged the government to redredge the canal, identifying it as a primary cause of the destructive inundation.
Lawrence Awanebi, a community leader in Igbodigo, also expressed shock at the scale of the damage, calling on the government to help those left homeless. “Many residents have been rendered homeless as a result of the incident. We are calling on the government to assist in this regard,” Awanebi pleaded.
Calls for Government Intervention
A market woman in Okitipupa, Mrs. Stella Ojo, highlighted that numerous houses had been washed away and pressed the government to address the underlying causes of persistent flooding in the state.
The Chairman of Owo Local Government, Tope Omolayo, has appealed to both the Federal Government and the Ondo State Government, along with relevant emergency agencies, for swift intervention. “We are calling on the Federal Government to assist our people because the damage is beyond what the local government can handle alone,” he stated.
Earlier, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had announced government initiatives aimed at mitigating floods and other natural disasters, including dredging waterways and enforcing environmental sanitation laws. “As a government, we shall continue with initiatives that will reduce the effects of floods and other natural disasters by dredging our waterways and enforcing environmental sanitation laws,” the Governor had previously affirmed.
What steps do you think could be taken to prevent such widespread damage from future floods in these communities?