Rainstorm wreaks havoc in Ibadan - 100 houses affected

By Tope Abiola - 07.03.2008

IT was a bad evening for residents of Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday as rain, accompanied by a storm, wreaked havoc, destroying over 100 houses in the city. The roof of the houses were blown-off by the storm during the downpour. The roofs of most of the houses in Molete, Idi-Arere, Kudeti, Idikan and Bere areas of the town were destroyed by the storm, while occupants of the houses were seen lamenting over the destruction.

Saint David’s Anglican Church, Kudeti; United Mission Girls School, Molete, and some primary schools were some of the public buildings that were destroyed by the rain. At Idi-Arere, about 50 buildings were seen damaged, while 25 were counted at Idikan and 35 at Kudeti. Other areas affected included Idi-Odo, Felele, Sakapena and Popo Yemoja. Pieces of roofing sheets littered the major roads in the city, which affected vehicular movements in the areas.

Apart from the damaged roofs, electric poles were also destroyed by the storm. Officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria were seen working on the electric wires and poles in various parts of the city at about 7.30 p.m. Though, nobody was reported killed during the storm’s fury, property of the residents of the area were said to have been destroyed.

Students of the United Mission Girls School, Molete, were quickly evacuated from their hostels for security reasons. Immediately after the incident, the deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, made an on-the-spot assessment and expressed shock at the magnitude of the damage, describing it as unfortunate. Speaking through his Press Secretary, Mr. Kola Adegoke, the deputy governor implored the victims to remain calm and await government’s action as efforts would be made to assist them.

He assured them that relief materials would be given to them. The deputy governor promised to continue the inspection today to ascertain the extent of the damage and begin the process of assisting the victims. He disclosed that State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) would begin the immediate assessment and make arrangements to give relief to the victims.