Rainstorm wreaks havoc in Delta, Edo

A devastating rainstorm has wreaked havoc in Oleh and other local councils in Delta State. Hundreds of persons have been rendered homeless and property worth millions of naira destroyed.

When The Guardian in company of Oleh Divisional Police Officer, DSP Muazu Mohammed and some councillors from Isoko South Local Council visited the area, scores of electricity poles had fallen and primary school buildings were also destroyed.

In the Oleh metropolis, some electricity poles and wires were seen littered along Emore Road and other major streets, just as classroom roofs and ceilings were blown off at Owhara, Uzi and Odoro primary schools, exposing the pupils and teachers to the scorching sun and rainfall.

Owhara and Uzi primary school headmistresses, Mrs. Akpoveso Loveth and Mrs. Ubuheri Grace, have appealed to the state government to come to their aid by renovating the school and providing seats for the pupils.

Also, a welder, Mr. Samson Akpatioma, whose workshop was blown off, appealed for relief materials to enable him repair the workshop.

Church buildings were not spared as St. John’s Catholic Church and Christ Chosen Deliverance Church, Oleh, were affected. One was completely pulled down. The signpost of Isoko Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) was destroyed even as a building caved into a house opposite Isoko Central School Oleh.

At Emede community, the secondary school was severely affected as roofs and ceilings of four classrooms were blown off. Also, the solar-powered water project was damaged.

When contacted, chairman of Isoko South Local Council, Sir. Ithiako C. Ikokpo, could not be reached, but the secretary, Mr. Denis Cola Obogo, promised to report to the chairman and the state government for immediate attention.

In the same manner, no fewer than 150 residential buildings were destroyed in Okpella, Etsako East Local Council and Igarra in Akoko-Edo Local Council of Edo State after Monday’s devastating rainstorm.

The first rain of the year in the state, which began around 3:00p.m. and lasted for about four hours, destroyed school buildings, electrical installations and farmlands.

Speaking to The Guardian in Igarra, Palace Secretary, Otaru of Igarra, Elder Folorunsho Dania, said over 60 houses were affected.

Along the Comprehensive High School junction, not less than five houses were affected. About seven were destroyed along Secretariat Road, and another 10 buildings along Momomdu Ajayi Road. In Iddo Community Grammar School near Okpella, buildings were pulled down by the storm, forcing the students to receive lectures outside.

Some of the victims, who spoke with The Guardian appealed to both the state and local council to come to their aid, adding that the storm was the worst in the past five years.

One of the victims, Abdulahi Issah, described the development as “the will of God Almighty that no human could have stopped. I am appealing to the relevant authorities to come to our aid to cushion the effects of the rainstorm,” he said.

Vice Principal of Iddo Grammar School, Kashim Otaru, said: “The rainstorm has wreaked havoc in school. We don’t have a roof over our heads or a building where the students can learn. We are appealing to the relevant authorities to come to our aid.”