Following long hours of rain on Saturday morning, several areas of Ikire town, the seat of Osun State’s Irewole local government area, were inundated.
Property worth millions of Naira was also damaged due to the water that followed the severe downpour.
Residents said that the rain began at 8 a.m. on Saturday and lasted till the afternoon.
Oja-Ale, Atoto, Fulani, Mateba, UNIOSUN Road, Campus area, and the famed Naira and Kobo intersection on the Ife-Ibadan motorway were also impacted.
Onigbinde Michael, a student at Osun State University, UNIOSUN, stated on Saturday that stores, residential houses, farmlands, and cattle had been seriously damaged and that he could not measure the degree of devastation.
“More than 100 residents have been affected. In the affected areas of Ikire, you will observe residents scooping water out of their houses and shops.
“Some of them are even trapped in their building with no help in sight. Some even came out and saved some trapped victims from drowning.
“The case is pathetic.”
In response to Saturday’s flood catastrophe in Ikire, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke asked the Commissioner for Environment to expedite flood protection measures.
Adeleke offered his condolences for the flood calamity in a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Saturday.
The governor stated that the flood wrecked devastation on the state’s western region and told residents that his government will address the core cause of the flood, avoid future occurrences, and expedite the state’s flood protection strategy.
According to the Governor’s statement:
“It is touching to learn about the monumental damages that flood has wrecked on homes and livelihoods in Ikire. The scale of the losses suffered by our people as a result of the flood disaster is too heavy especially at a time of economic strain as now,” the Governor said in the statement.
“I want to, on behalf of the State Government, convey heartfelt sympathy to everyone affected in one way or the other. As a government, we stand with the people of Ikire in this difficult moment and assure them of our commitment to support them overcome the challenges posed by the incident.
“My administration has activated emergency measures to rescue people and livelihoods hugely impacted by the flooding. I assure victims of the incident that the government will do all in its capacity to support them.”
cc: Daily Post Ng
