Residents of an Ondo community in the Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State are counting their losses after heavy flooding swept through the area last Friday following a torrential rain.
Hundreds of residents affected by the flood disaster have begun to tally their losses as many properties were destroyed by the flood, which accompanied four hours of downpour.
A resident, Mrs. Elizabeth Akinfolarin, stated that the downpour started around 5 p.m. on Friday and did not stop until late at night, causing canals and streams to fill and overflow their banks.
She reported that many houses and structures were submerged, and several residents who drowned were rescued by individuals, with no lives lost in the flood.
According to her, there had been incessant rainfall in the town for about three days, culminating in the heavy downpour on Friday.
Inspecting the affected areas, the Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Works and Infrastructure, Pastor Ayo Babalola, visited the community with some engineers from the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.
At Ita Nla, Ile-Oluji Junction, a shop filled with bags of cement was washed away due to the blockage of the culvert in the area, where a relaxation joint was built on the water channel, reducing the width of the channel.
No fewer than 300 bags of cement were washed away by the flooding, which lasted several hours and caused significant traffic jams in the town.
At Oke Odunwo, the culvert was too small to contain the volume of water, causing it to overflow and destroy some structures within a radius of 50 meters along the river course.
Residents of the area noted that the culvert, which has three rings, has been in place for over 50 years, with some claiming it was built by the colonial masters.
Speaking to newsmen during the on-the-spot assessment, Babalola said the state government had deployed amphibious excavators to clear refuse from the channel and dredge it, which reduced the magnitude of the damage that could have resulted from the flooding.
He disclosed that the state government had approved the reconstruction of the culvert into a larger one that would accommodate the volume of water flowing through the canal.
However, he mentioned that with the current incident, the contract would have to be reviewed to include channeling the canal on either side of the bridge.
Some of the affected areas visited by the Special Adviser include Ita Nla, Oke Odunwo (Jordan Street), Lipakala/Laje Road, Yaba, Esporta Suites (Ife Road), and Funbi Fagun Estate.
Babalola, who was joined by the state Commissioner for Environment, Oyeniyi Oseni, Special Adviser to the governor on Legislative Matters and Special Duties, Jibayo Adeleye, and some officials from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), stated that the state government has commenced action on the blocked areas and dredging of the rivers.
Babalola said, “We are here to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of what really happened yesterday through last night. We had a function at Ile-Oluji, but around 9 p.m., I received a call that Ita Nla had been submerged, resulting in serious traffic jams.
“We have to appeal to our people. If you look at the volume of water coming from the other side of the culvert to Jordan Street, it is substantial.
“That is why we have experienced this kind of incident. We have observed some practices in the neighborhood, such as dumping refuse in the canal, though this is minimal.
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“But this culvert, I was informed, was built over 40 years ago. There are six rings—three below and three above. As you can see, the three below have been covered, leaving three, which are insufficient to contain the volume of water coming from the other side.
“Some residents are building on the river course. However, our governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, will do what is necessary to address this challenge. By the time we finish with this box culvert, we will channel some meters on either side of it.
“It has been noted that a number of people who built their houses close to the river course have been leaving. So, once we implement these measures, those who built too close to the river course will have to relocate.
“About three weeks ago, we instructed the contractor to commence work because the culvert contract had been awarded. However, with this new development, we will have to expand the scope of the contract. Although we will undertake some palliative measures, the amphibious excavator has already done the dredging.
“There is little that we can do now because the rain is heavy, but once it subsides, we will begin serious construction work. I want to appeal to our people to block any areas where they believe water can flow into their homes.
“The contractor will come tomorrow to ensure the water flows through the channel. He will start full construction when the rain subsides.”
