The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Rainstorm

  • Rainstorm wreaks havoc

    A three-hour rainstorm has destroyed no fewer than 180 structures including residential homes, schools and hospitals in Musawa, headquarters of Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

    The disaster was the second in about two weeks following a similar occurrence on May 29 that destroyed 50 structures in the town.

    The Chairman of the council’s Transition Committee,Alhaji Tanimu Kira told newsmen after inspecting the affected areas that a committee had been set up to verify the extent of the damage, adding that a relief package would be distributed to the victims.

    He said that the council had provided the victims with temporary accommodation pending intervention by the state and federal governments.

    He also said that the council had distributed 100 bags of cement on June 11 to the victims of the May 29 incident, noting that the gesture was an interim measure to cushion the hardship faced by the people.

    He described the incident as the Will of God, and cautioned people against indiscriminate refuse disposal and blocking of waterways.

    Kira said such acts were responsible for environmental pollution, and stressed the need for collective effort to protect the environment.

    He also advised the residents to refrain from indiscriminate felling of trees, but rather to cultivate the habit of planting trees to replace lost ones to check desert encroachment.

  • Rainstorm destroys poly hostels

    A midnight rainstorm has destroyed hostels and properties in the Adamawa State Polytechnic (ADAMAWA POLY), Yola, last Monday. Rooms in the affected hostels, Quarters 1, 2 and 3, were badly damaged after the storm subsided.

    The incident happened a week to the first semester examination of the institution, which is to start next Monday.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that students were sleeping when the incident, which left the roofs of the hostels blown open by the wind, occurred. The storm sent many of the occupants scampering, with many moving their personal effects to hostels stores and common rooms, which were not affected.

    Our correspondent learnt that five rooms, with the room number 8, 9, 11, 14 and 15, were badly affected. Each room had 11 students occupying them. Food stuff, O’Level certificates and note books of the victims were destroyed.

    The affected rooms were flooded, trees in the hostels uprooted, causing damage to the structure of the hostel buildings. While the incident lasted, the campus was in commotion, with many watched helplessly as water carried their mattresses and materials away.

    Students lamented their fate. Jerusha Musa, an English language student, told CAMPUSLIFE that she remained in prayers as the storm raged on. She said: “The wind was too much. Nobody could move anywhere because trees were falling down and the roof sheets were flying about. I could not move; I was just praying. Everybody was shouting. It was a bad experience for us because we never expected such thing at that odd hour.”

    At 6am, some of the affected students protested at the Rector’s residence. But Dr Umar Boboi, the Rector, was said to have travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj. Our correspondent gathered that the protesters were addressed by the Deputy Rector, who called for calm, promising that the hostel would be rebuilt.

    Abdulazeez Yusuf, ND II student, said he thought the end of the world had come. “The storm was the least we expected. I was sleeping when it happened. I quickly ran out of my room almost naked. When I got out of the hostel, I saw some trees uprooted, then I remained in the common room.”

    Meanwhile, the management has shut the campus for two weeks and ordered students out of the hostels for renovation work to start immediately. The semester examination has also been postponed to allow the victims of the storm to regain their strength.

  • One killed, 6000 displaced by rainstorm

    • Havoc in Rivers communities

    One person was killed and no fewer than 6,000 displaced following a rainstorm that wrecked havoc on six communities in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State at the weekend.

    The deceased, it was gathered, was Janet Asu, a 13-year-old JSS 3 student of Budda Comprehensive Secondary School, Kakwagom Iruan.

    Her aunt, Mrs Abang said they were hurrying home from the farm with another girl, a nine-year old, when the storm started pulling down trees which fell on Janet.

    She said Janet sustained several deep cuts on her head. She sustained minor injuries but the child was unhurt.

    “We were along the path hurrying home when two trees fell simultaneously from both sides of the road on us.

    “When I regained consciousness few minutes later I noticed Janet lying sideways and when I turned her over I discovered two deep cuts on her head.

    “By the time help could reach us, she had died in my arms,” Mrs Abang narrated in tears.

    Addressing the victims, the House of Assembly member for Boki 2, Jake Enya, called on philanthropic organisations, individuals and government to intervene.

    The council Chairman, Jonah Otu, said Boki had been experiencing various disasters.

    He promised that the victims would be rehabilitated.

    Also in Rivers State, several people in Okudu, Umuochamba and Umuayara communities of Mba in Etche Local Government have been rendered homeless, following an early morning rainstorm in the area.

    Eyewitnesses said that the rain damaged some houses and destroyed trees in the area.

    A victim, Moses Nwoko, said plantain suckers, coconut trees, pear trees fell down in their hundreds.

    “We have not witnessed this kind of rain for some years now. This rain has set us back because it means we have to start life afresh,” Nwoko lamented

     

  • How rainstorm blew off 200 houses in Ondo community

    How rainstorm blew off 200 houses in Ondo community

    Penultimate Monday in the ancient town of Owo in Ondo State, after the day’s job, many had retired home to rest without any inkling of the looming disaster. At around  7.30 pm, like a robber in the night, rain started falling. Although it was a short one, it was accompanied by destructive winds, which wreaked havoc in the community.

    Being the second rain in the year in this area, many thought it would only ease the heat which had become unbearable in many homes. But it did more than that. Within 30 minutes of the torrents, the people began to count there losses; they were left devastated.  At least no fewer than 200 houses were seriously affected by the storm.

    Some of the areas affected by the rainstorm were: Oke-Ogun, Ehinogbe, Uka, Aruwajoye, Idanakin and Fajuyi. While some of the houses were partially affected, many had their roofs blown off.

    Some vehicles were also trapped under the trees affected by the rainstorm .Even electricity poles were not spared. This has since thrown the entire community into total darkness. Mostly affected were houses belonging to the aged who solely depend on charity to survive.

    The General Hospital, Owo Stadium, Methodist High School, St. Catherine’s Anglican Girls Grammar School, and Methodist Church were also affected.

    Commercial activities were impaired on major streets like Oke-Ogun, Iloro, Ehin-Ogbe, Uka as the roofs of many shops in the area were blown away by the rainstorm.

    While inspecting the affected areas, the Commissioner for Special Duties in the state, Niran Sule-Akinsuyi, lamented the extent of damage caused by the storm.

    He called on relevant authorities and agencies of government to come to the aid of the affected people as many of them had been rendered homeless.

    The member representing Owo Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly, Ayo Arowele, noted that many of the people no longer had shelter.

    He appealed to the Federal Government, The National Emergency Management Authority, the state government, and other concerned bodies to assist the people in their quest to rebuild the destroyed houses and shops.

    The Bishop of Owo Diocese, Methodist Church of Nigeria, Rev.Solomon Adegbite, also appealed to the state and federal governments to come to the aid of the people.

    The State Deputy Governor, Ali Olanusi,  visited the area to ascertain the extent of damage.He was accompanied by top government functionaries and the paramount ruler of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida. Olanusi described the incident as shocking.

    The Deputy Governor, who also visited  Olowo’s palace, commiserated with the monarch, Oba Folagbade Olateru- Olagbegi, and assured the victims of prompt response from government.

    He said: “We have gone round to assess the extent of damage. We are going to compile the names of those affected and measure the extent of damage to see how we can best assist them”.

    But, most of the victims are urging government to urgently carry out its planned assistance as most of them have been rendered homeless.

    One of such persons is Francis Oladiji. The roofs of his house were completely blown off. This has forced him to seek refuge somewhere.

    His words: “The incident has rendered me homeless.  I can no longer sleep in the house built with my sweet. Where would I get about N500,000 to roof the house again? At this period, I don’t have money and that is why I want government to urgently come to my aid so that I will stop hanging around”.

    The case of Samuel Adeja at Oke Ogun is more pathetic as he lost two houses to the incident. The roofs of the houses were completely affected, leaving him with nothing.

    “I want to make a passionate appeal to government to quickly come to our aid. This is an issue that should be given urgent attention.

    ‘We are left with no option than to beg for assistance because this disaster is beyond us. It is a calamity that must not be treated with levity”.

    Meanwhile, officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria[PHCN] have stated replacing the electricity poles affected by the storm.

    Some of the staffers were seen at Oke-ogun area cleaning up the damaged poles to ensure that electricity is resorted to the community.

  • New house for rainstorm victim

    New house for rainstorm victim

    One of the victims of last June’s rainstorm in Nru community of Nsukka, Enugu State, Mrs Justina Asogwa, received an unexpected relief.

    Mrs Asogwa, a widow, was presented with a new three-bedroom fully furnished bungalow.

    The house, jointly built by some officials of Nsukka Local Council, was handed over to her by the Chairman, Mr. Tony Ugwu, a lawyer.

    Ugwu said the gesture was to relieve the victim who is ‘the poor of the poor’ among the victims ravaged by the natural disaster.

    “It may interest you to know that we did not use the council’s fund to build this house.

    “Myself and my executive contributed from our personal purse in other that this woman will have a shelter to live in.

    “I am pleased that we have been able to re-echo the slogan of this administration to bring succour and smiles back to residents of Nru community”, he said.

    The councillor representing Nru ward in the council, Hon.  Celestine Ogbu said he was overwelmed at the rare gesture exhibited by the chairman and his executive.

    “I thought the relief materials distributed by the council to the victims were the end of this exercise but I am surprised at these rare act exhibited by the chairman and his executives by contributing from the salaries to bring succour to this helpless widow,” he said.

    The elated widow, Justina Asogwa, thanked Nsukka council for the gift of the house

    “I am happy for the gift of this house and I pray that God will bless all the people who ensured that in wiping my tears away”, she said.

    The Nsukka Local Government gave three bundles of zinc  and a bag of rice were given to each of the  40 victims whose houses were lost to the Nru rainstorm last June.