The Nation Newspaper

Tag: rain

  • Rain washes off bridge, cuts off community in Ondo

    One of the bridges along Oba Akoko – Ikun – Afo – Idoani road in the Northern part of Ondo state has been reportedly washed off by an all night heavy down pour of several hours.

    The development had caused confusion in the Akoko and Ose local government axis of the state as prospective travelers have been stranded because of no access road.

    Sources said the next bridge to this collapsed one is also about to go the same way any moment from now as the sand by its side had also been eroded.

    The road has been in a deplorable state since,while armed robbers and kidnappers have been having a field day with impunity because of the poor state of the road.

    Read Also: Ondo youths rally support for Buhari, Boroffice

    According to a former Councillor in Ose local government, Isaac Obiniran,who spoke to ‘ The Nation’ there is hardly a week that travelers will not be robbed or kidnapped along the road.

    According to him, the other Ipele- Idoani- Isua road which is federal highway that would have been a good alternative to Oba – Akungba -Oka road is also in a very bad state.

    He urged Ondo state government to quickly come to the rescue of numerous travelers passing through this impassable road.

  • Rain forces FCT residents to stay indoor

    Fun seekers in Abuja said yesterday that they opted for indoor Eid-el Kabir celebrations with their families and friends because of the rains, which disrupted outdoor activities.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some recreational parks, which were usually filled up with fun seekers during holidays, recorded low turnout.

    At Millennium Park, Maitama, respondents noted that they had to wait for the rains to subside before going to picnics with their families.

    Sani Abbah, a doctor, who was at the park with his wife and three children, said he had hoped to take his family out earlier, but was delayed by the rain.

    He said: “At least we are out now and I suspect that the rain will stop people from turning out to have fun with their families.

    “People really wanted to come out because of the joy that comes with celebrating the Sallah holidays outdoors with their families,” Abbah said.

    Scanty fun seekers at Jabi Waterfront, Jabi were seen taking horseback rides and boat cruises despite the impending rain.

    Bilikisu Kolawole, a pastry maker, who came with her two daughters, said she only agreed to brace the rain because her children insisted on horse riding for the holiday.

    “You can see that the rain has really disrupted the celebrations. Once I notice that the clouds are darker, I will take them home. At least, they have done their horse riding,” she said.

    Food vendors at the parks told NAN that sales had been very poor, although they expected it to pick up later.

    Ngozi Anyanwu, who sold snacks and drinks at Millennium Park, noted that the low turnout affected her sales despite her high expectations.

    “I know that it is rainy season, but nobody expected that the rain will disturb this much.

    “We hope now that it has stopped, more people will come out so we can make sales,” Anyanwu said.

    Isah Hafeez, who sold roasted meat (suya) at Jabi Waterfront, hoped that sales would pick up despite the low turnout of fun seekers.

    Respondents noted that celebrations would hopefully pick up today, as more people would want to visit relations around the city.

    Femi Akintunde, a graphics designer, told NAN that some people preferred to share food and drinks with their neighbours yesterday with hopes of having outdoor celebrations today.

    He said: “The rain has slowed down celebrations today (yesterday), but more people will turn out tomorrow (today), even if it rains.

    “My family and I decided to stay home and share food with our neighbours and friends today, but we will surely visit parks and fun places tomorrow,” Akintunde said.

     

     

  • China the rainmaker, to force rainfall over an area 2X Nigeria

    China is almost set to force rainfall and snow over 1.6 million sq km (620,000 sq miles), an area roughly three times the size of Spain or twice the size of Nigeria(923,768 Sq.kms)

    According to media reports, the government will use new military weather-altering technology developed by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

    Since 2013 China has created 55 billion tons of artificial rain a year.

    The latest plan is the biggest rainmaking project ever.

    The country plans to build tens of thousands of combustion chambers on Tibetan mountainsides. The chambers will burn a solid fuel, which will result in a spray of silver iodide billowing towards the sky.

    “More than 500 burners have been deployed on alpine slopes in Tibet, Xinjiang and other areas for experimental use. The data we have collected show very promising results,” an unnamed researcher told the Morning Post.

    “Sometimes snow would start falling almost immediately after we ignited the chamber. It was like standing on the stage of a magic show,” he said.

    The Tibetan plateau is vital to the water supply for much of China and a large area of Asia. Its glaciers and reservoirs feed the Yellow, Yangtze, Mekong, and other major rivers that flow through China, India, Nepal, and other countries.

    Sprayed from planes, the particles will provide something for passing water vapor to condense around, forming clouds. Those clouds will bring the rain. A single cloud-seeding chamber could create a strip of clouds covering a 5km area.

    Traditionally, the rainmaking process or “cloud-seeding” means rocket-launching chemicals into clouds which accelerate the creation of ice crystals that eventually become rain.

    China also uses military aircraft for those purposes. Rainmaking is also a popular way to “clean up” air in China, where heavy smog is a big problem for many cities.

    The practice of weather modification has become more frequent across the country in recent years, including for major public events.

    In 2008, China launched over 1,100 rockets containing silver iodide into Beijing’s skies before the Olympics opening ceremony to disperse clouds and keep the Olympics rain-free. Beijing has a “development plan” for weather modification until 2020.

    Reported by www.rt.com

  • Rain destroys N500m worth of farm produce in Jigawa

    Farm produce and animals, worth N500 million, was destroyed by a heavy rainfall in Gumel Local Government Area of Jigawa State at the weekend.

    Villages affected by the disaster include Garin Gambo, Gwari, Garin Galadima, Baikarya, Zuge and Garin and Baki towns.

    Among the victims farmers who spoke to news men includes APC Galagamma ward chairman Mallam Sadi Haruna said cluster farmers were affected by the disaster.

    Another farmer Musa Dan Dailu from Garin Gambo said some animals were killed as a result of the heavy dawn pour.

    He called on government to send a team of experts to assess the damages caused by the disaster.

  • Downpour, thunderstorm delay take off of council polls

    Downpour, thunderstorm delay take off of council polls

    Downpour which began at 5a.m. in many parts of Lagos State left many areas flooded and affected early commencement of voting in the local government polls in many areas.

    The rain, accompanied with thunderstorms, lasted for more than two hours, confining many residents to their apartments early in the day, until it later subsided.

    The flooding of the roads compelled road users to drive against traffic in some areas as people rushed to beat the 7a.m. restriction of movement time.

    At the Berger end of Lagos-Ibadan expressway, many motorists trying to get out of Lagos, apart from contending with the rain, were caught up in  the restriction of movement time which took off at 7.ooa.m, causing a heavy traffic gridlock.

    In Badagry, only few voters were at some polling units where security personnel, electoral officers and materials were on ground by 8a.m..

    At Polling Units 007, 008 and 009 in Ward A, Badagry Local Government, voters were seen by 8a.m, while at Polling Unit 8 in Ward B, few voters got accredited and began voting by 8.25a.m. .

    Only two voters were at Polling Unit 007 in Ward D at 8.30am.

    Mrs Verona Chike, the Polling Officer in the unit blamed the low turnout on the downpour.

    “I am sure that more voters will come out as soon as the rain stops,” she told NAN.

    However, in some areas of Ikotun/ Igando Local Council Development Area, electoral officers and materials had yet to arrive as at 9.30a.m, with only agents of political parties at some poling units visited by then.

    In Ward B, Unit 005, on Apapa Road, in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, electoral officers arrived at 9.25 a.m. shortly after the rain stopped in the area.

    In the Alimosho Local Government,  NAN correspondent reports that the premises of the Alimosho Local Government Secretariat was a beehive of activities as several commercial buses were being still loaded with electoral materials and officials at 9:30 am.

    NAN observed that vehicles carrying the materials escorted by security operatives began filing out of the LG compound which doubles as the LASIEC secretariat at 9:45 am.

    Mr Bakare Olagoke, the Electoral Officer of the Alimosho Local Government branch of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) told NAN that the rain delayed the process.

    “We are leaving now. It is heavy rain and only God saved us that the communication mast did not fall on our office or anyone because the rain was too heavy,” he said.

    Lagos residents are at the polls to elect chairmen and councillors in the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state. (NAN)

  • Massive flood in Lagos, govt urges residents to stay indoors

    Massive flood in Lagos, govt urges residents to stay indoors

    Following the flooding of many parts of the state on Saturday after rainfall that lasted for hours, the state government has called on residents to observe extreme caution on the roads.

    Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Lekki and Ajah areas were worst hit as many streets and houses were submerged in the flood.

    While assuring the general public of the heavy deployment of environmental sanitation officers and emergency rescue teams, especially in flood-prone areas of the State, the government urged residents to stay indoors, either at home or in their places of work, whenever there is heavy downpour, except when the need to commute becomes necessary.

    Warning that heavy downpour is expected for a few more weeks, the government solicits the support of citizens to desist from dumping refuse in the canals and gutters and observe safe and hygienic conducts at all times in order to reduce the effect of temporary flooding being recorded in some areas.

    The government also urged residents to make use of emergency numbers in case of dire situations.

    An unprecedented flood took over the entire Ahmadu Bello way in Victoria Island, forcing some residents and commercial offices to  unceremoniously vacate their premises.

    The Lagos State Police Command has temporarily closed the road for human and vehicular movements due to threat by heavy flood.

    The  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island, Lagos has been flooded due to continuous down pour experienced in the state since three days ago.

    The command’s spokesman, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, told NAN that the second link-road to the Island coming from Lagos mainland was unsafe for  motorists.

    Famous-Cole said that the down pour in the state has caused flood making other roads on the Island unsafe.

    He said that the flood has caused traffic gridlock in parts of Victoria Island and its environs and advised motorist plying Ahmadu Bello Way and other areas prone to flood to take alternative routes approved by traffic officials.

    “The flood in the area has caused us to temporarily block Ahmadu Bello Way for safety of motorists.

    “We want the public to know that the relevant traffic and security agencies are on ground to flush out the drains and secure road users in the state,’’ Famous-Cole said.

    Mr Mahmud Hassan, the Public Affairs Officer, Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), told NAN that their men have been on ground since morning ensuring that road users use alternative routes provided.

    He said that the flood has caused hardship to road users and people living in the area.

    Mr Tosin Olalere, who resides at Abraham Adesanya Estate near Victoria Island, told NAN that he has been in his house since Wednesday due to the continuous rain.

    “There has been no vehicular movements since Wednesday July 5, till now.

    “People in my community have resulted to trekking or using canoe to move about.

    “Some people have even started moving out of the community because of the flood which destroyed their properties,’’ Olalere said.

    Similarly, some soldiers, who are residing in the Bonny Cantonment, told NAN that a significant number of residents have been forced to vacate their homes.

    Some passengers in a commercial bus from mainland to Island in Lagos also complained of outrageous amount they paid to get to Victoria Island due to the flood on Ahmadu Bello Way.

    A student, who declined to give her name, said she spent over four hours in traffic from Oshodi to Ajah because of the flood.

    She said she and other passengers paid N1000 from Oshodi to Ajah instead of the  N400 being paid on a regular day.

    “People were even rushing to board the bus despite the crazy increase in the fare,’’ she said.

    Another passenger who simply gave her name as Obianuju, said she tried to avoid paying N1000 to Ajah from Oshodi, however boarded a bus to Obalende for N250 from Oshodi only to find out that the fare from Obalende to Ajah had also skyrocketed.

    Obianuju said: “I paid N250 from Oshodi to Obalande in order not to pay N1000, only to get there and the drivers were charging N700 from Obalande to Ajah. It was really annoying.’’ (NAN)

  • Rain stops Adebule, Akiolu, Chief Imam from praying at Dodan Barracks

    •’Preach love, tolerance, peaceful co-existence’

    For the first time in many years, top Lagos State Government Officials yesterday could not observe the Eid prayers to mark the end of Ramadan at Dodan Barrack, Ikoyi.

    An early morning downpour stopped Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule, Oba of Lagos, Riliwan Akiolu and the Chief Imam of Lagos, Alhaji Garba Akinola Ibrahim from worshipping there.

    The praying ground has over the years become the official venue for the ceremony.

    Instead, they joined other worshippers at the Lagos Central Mosque for the prayers.

    Those who could not get inside the mosque prayed outside.

    In his sermon, Alhaji Ibrahim urged Muslims to be kind to others and emulate Prophet Muhammed.

    Prophet Muhammed during his time, he said, was able to convert many into Islam because of his exemplary behaviour. He advised the faithful to remember the prophet’s saying that ‘’no one is a Muslim yet, until what he wants for himself is what he wants for his brother’’.

    Urging Muslims to imbibe Ramadan’s tenets he asked them to refrain from sins and vices that could undermine the spread of Islam.

    The deputy governor, who came with her husband, Alhaji Saheed Adebule, an Information Technology expert, called on Lagosians to continue to live together in peace. She urged them to sustain the existing peaceful relationship with people of diverse tribes and religions.

    Dr Adebule asked Muslims to imbibe Ramadan’s tenets, which according to her, include fear of God, love for one another, tolerance, equality, obedience, abstinence from sins, discipline and caring for the welfare of fellow human beings irrespective of religion, colour or tongue.

    She enjoined Muslims not to go back to things they shunned during the fast, noting that one of the exercise of the fasting was for them to be more pious and move closer to God.

    “As we celebrate Ed- El- Fitr, let me congratulate our Muslim brothers and sisters for God’s Mercy that has seen us to the end of the month. Let us unite together and build a very strong nation that our children will be proud of and I pray that the Almighty Allah will not deny us the reward of the fasting,’’ she said.

    Oba Akiolu described Lagos as a cosmopolitan state that accommodates people from diverse tribes and religions.

    The monarch urged the residents to clean up their environment to avoid epidemics outbreak.

  • Rain ravages houses in Akure

    A heavy rainstorm has ravaged about sixty houses and destroyed other properties worth millions of naira in the Gaga area of Oke-Aro in Akure, the capital of Ondo State. The incident which occurred on Friday night left many of the victims in total shock. While some of the houses were partially affected, many have their roofs completely blown off.

    Some vehicles were also trapped under fallen trees affected by the rainstorm. Some churches in the area were also badly damaged, as their buildings collapsed. Electricity poles were not spared and the incident has thrown the entire community into total darkness. Mostly affected were houses belonging to aged people.

    The head of Gaga community, Oluwole Omotosho, and some victims expressed shock over the development, urging government and other relevant agencies to assist the community with relief materials. The affected victims have continued to count their losses, looking forward for assistance from any quarters to alleviate their suffering

     

  • Homes, schools flooded as rain wreaks havoc in Oyo

    About 70 houses and markets were flooded at the weekend after a downpour in Ibadan and its environs.

    Although nobody died during the rains, which lasted over five hours, property worth millions of naira were destroyed.

    Worse hit is Ido Local Government of Oyo State where the roof of schools and houses were blown off and buildings flooded.

    The popular Omi-Adio food market was flooded. Goods were swept away and shops submerged by the torrential rain.

    Residents were displaced, as they spent the night outside.

    The affected people scooped water out of their homes yesterday morning. They could not attend church.

    One of the victims, who gave her name as Alhaja Mulikat, described the destruction as monumental. She implored Governor Abiola Ajimobi to assist them financially.

    Environment and Water Resources Commissioner Mr. Isaac Ishola said the government was aware of the problem and had taken proactive measures to mitigate it.

    He said 24 rivers would be dredged.

    Ishola urged the public to obey environmental sanitation and waste management laws.

    He warned them to desist from dumping refuse in drainages and building kiosks on culverts.

  • One killed, 1,000 houses destroyed in Kano state rain

    One person lost his life while several houses were destroyed following a heavy down pour in Kura local government area of Kano state.

    One of the victims, Malam Lawan Salisu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Saturday that the incident happened on Wednesday night.

    According to him, the rainfall which was accompanied by windstorm blew off the roofs of many houses in the affected villages.

    He said the 1,000 houses were affected in Dannafake, Iyatawa, Kaniyaka, Zagazagi, Tofa and Yadagungume villages and that the residents now squats with friends and relatives.

    Salisu said the Vice chairman of the local government Council, Alhaji Ali Isiyaku-Danhassan, had since visited the affected areas to sympathise with victims.

    He called on the state government to come to their aid immediately in view of the monumental disaster.

    When contacted, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SERERA), Alhaji Aliyu Bashir, said he has yet to receive report on the incident.

    He, however, gave the assurance that necessary measures would be taken to alleviate the suffering of victims in the affected villages. (NAN).