Wednesday, 24 September 2014

Flood destroys buildings, valuables in Abeokuta

A torrential rain which lasted for four hours in Abeokuta on Tuesday  destroyed property and valuables  worth  millions of naira and displaced hundreds of residents in Abule-Otun in Lafenwa area.

The rain which started around 3pm lasted till 7pm.

Apart from the destructive interruptions, travellers and motorists were held up in gridlock around Brewery and Lafenwa Roundabout for almost two hours.

The Lagos-Abeokuta expressway which terminated at the roundabout, was taken over by flood, which rose to level, where cars and other smaller vehicles could be submerged.

The flood which was said to have  been aggravated by the blockage  of a stream known as  ‘Odo Baale’  which passes through  the area wrecked havoc  by also flooding  several houses and shops in the area.

On Wednesday when our correspondent  visited the area, residents were seen  scooping water from their flooded apartments.

It was gathered that two residents were almost washed away by the flood.

Residents said the indiscriminate dumping of refuse into the water channels of the stream, made it difficult for it to flow freely and thus it went off course, flooding homes.

Some of them also claimed that some houses had been constructed on the waterways.

After the four-hour rain subsided, some  houses had their foundation destroyed,  cracks had developed on some walls and some fences had given way.

Some residents said they could not sleep throughout the night  as they  were trying to salvage their valuables.
A landlord, Mr. Williams Folawewo, was one of the worst hit residents, as his eight-room bungalow, had its foundation destroyed.

The house situated on 10, Olondo Street, also had cracks on its wall.

He said, “I built the house in 1982, and we have never experienced this type of flooding since I moved in here.

“Now, the destruction of the foundation will definitely cost me some money to put it back in shape.”

Another resident, Mrs Mulikat Adekanbi, had her three-bedroom apartment taken over by flood, with  mattresses, furniture, electrical gadgets and other valuables  submerged in water.

She moaned that she could not sleep throughout the night, and she had to mop the rooms.

Her mattresses and clothes were spread out in the premises of the one-storey building where she resides.
Another resident, Mrs Rashidat Ashafa, also had her one-room apartment flooded.

She said in Yoruba, “You can see the furniture and the mattress soaked with water. I could not sleep in the room. I had to join my neighbour who lives upstairs for the night.

A shop where fairly used television sets are sold was also taken over by flood, destroying the gadgets in the process.

The state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun visited  Abule Otun earlier in the day, and promised to carry out proper channelisation of the stream that passes through the area.

He also added that some houses constructed on the waterways might be demolished.

He said the Ministry of Physical planning, National Emergency Management Agency and the State Emergency Management Agency  would visit the area to assess the damage.

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