Friday 18 November 2016

Flood: Mothers, babies escape death, one swept away


Flood again wreaked havoc on Ogun, Osun and Ondo states on Tuesday as no fewer than nine persons escaped death, while houses were submerged by flood.

An occupant of a vehicle was also reportedly swept away.

In Ogun State, no fewer than seven nursing mothers and their newborn babies escaped death as flood ravaged the maternity ward of Christ Apostolic Church, Isale Ake, Abeokuta.

A torrential rain which started on Monday resulted in flood which forced its way into the ward and sent the nursing mothers scampering for safety.

An eyewitness told our correspondent the flood rose to the bed level.

The matron of the maternity home, Mrs Abigael Asiwaju, said the life-threatening incident occurred while the nursing mothers were sleeping.

She saisd “We were inside the ward and it was raining outside. Before we know it, there was a flood surge, which took over the ward.

“We had to move mothers and babies as the situation was becoming life threatening.”

The matron attributed the cause of the flood to the uncompleted state government road along Isale-Ake, which had no channel for flood, adding that the rainwater forced its way into the hospital.

She said, “This has not happened in the last 20 years that I have been working in this maternity home. The cause is the uncompleted government road.”

The flood also pulled down the church fence and also sacked worshippers in the church.

The Secretary of the church, Abiodun Sogbade, also blamed the incident on the uncompleted road.

Over 100 residents of Filade community in the town were also sacked from their homes after flood ravaged the community.

The community head, who identified himself simply as Baale Oguntoyinbo, appealed to the government to come to their aid.

In Osogbo, Osun State, the Tuesday downpour brought sorrow to some residents just as a car occupant was reportedly swept away by the flood which accompanied the rain.

Our correspondent gathered that the car, which was approaching a section of the Oke Onitea Road, was dragged into a canal and one of the occupants was reportedly swept away before rescuers moved in to rescue the rest.

The driver of the car and another occupant was said to have been rescued from the car.

Flood was also said to have destroyed some property in the Kajola area along Ibokun Road. Residents of Testing Ground were also reportedly thrown into confusion as the rainwater destroyed property worth several millions of naira in the area.

In Akure, Ondo State, many residential buildings and shops were submerged by flood which occurred as a result of heavy rainfall on Monday in Ondo town, Ondo State.

Some areas in the town, including Itanla junction, Valentino, New Nigeria, Saka Famuditi, Funmbi-Fagun, Lipakala and Oke-Odunwo Street, among others, were affected.

Hundreds of residents of the town were said to have been rendered homeless. Vehicles and motorcycles were also reportedly swept away by the flood. However, no life was lost in the incident.

When our correspondent visited the town on Tuesday, some household items – electronics, cooking utensils, books and chairs – were seen inside rainwater.

One of the victims, Mrs. Caroline Adeboye, who lives at the Itanla area, lamented that she lost property worth thousands of naira.

Adeboye appealed to the state government and the National Emergency Management Agency to assist her.

Another victim, Mr. Olagoke Abayomi, who lives at Funbi-Fagun, appealed to the National Emergency Management Authority, as well as non-governmental organisations to assist him and other people that lost their valuables to the flood.

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