Flood Claims Three Lives And Renders Many Homeless In Edo State

BY ABU IDRISU:

At least three persons have been reported dead as a result of a heavy rain on Sunday, 13 July, 2014, in Igarra, headquarters of Akoko Edo Local Council of Edo state, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
According to the report, many houses and household items were submerged by heavy flooding caused by the rain.
An eyewitness, Akinola Onabiyi, told newsmen on Monday, 14 July, 2014, that the rain, which started about 5.00pm lasted for about 8 hours and destroyed hundreds of houses rendering so many people homeless.
“The flood occasioned by the rain swept people off the road into a nearby bridge where the two persons died.

“Another victim, a middle aged man in Utua area of the community, was said to have visited a friend when the building collapsed on him. His body was also recovered from the debris this morning,”Onabiyi stated.
It was gathered from another source that two of the victims included a young girl and a pastor who were said to be travelling to Igarra from Auchi in a commercial vehicle when their vehicle broke down in Egbigere, about five minutes’ drive to their destination.
The source stated that when the deceased attempted to push the vehicle, the flood occasioned by the rain swept them off the road into a nearby bridge where the two of them died.
Their corpses were allegedly discovered Monday morning.
While confirming the number of casualties recorded as a result of the rainfall, the traditional ruler of Igarra, Adeche Saiki, said that the community was devastated by the flood.
Saiki called on relevant government agencies and good spirited individuals and organisations to assist the victims to restart their lives.
“We are shocked at the level of damage. Many houses have collapsed and some totally unhabitable as their structures have failed. We lost three persons; one of them an undergraduate who was coming home from school.
“We need urgent assistance of both the local and state governments because many people are homeless now.
“For the dead, some of them have been buried today; the families need the support to continue their lives.
“We are appealing passionately to both the local government, state government and the Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to come to our aid,” he said.