| Rage of the gods
•Thunderstorm destroys 951 houses in Lagos
By TESSY OKOYE
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
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PHOTO: Sun News Publishing
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Sorrow, shock and despair hung in the air like a thick cloud.
Young men and women wore forlorn looks as they clustered in
groups discussing their fate in hushed tones. The elderly
ones curled up on their seats, like birds out of a trap, with
palpable fear visibly etched on their faces.
Up till that point in time, none of them could give an appropriate
reason for the tragedy that has wreaked vast havoc on their
land. Inaudible gibberish from some of them was that the gods
were angry with them. Death quiet ruled the land as the people
waited with bated breath for the next stick that might be
wielded by the fiery gods.
Indeed, for people living in the Eredo Local Council Development
area in Epe, Lagos State, it would take a long while for them
to come to terms with the disaster brought on 13 communities
in the area by a recent terrible thunderstorm.
The day of the tragedy had started well for the predominantly
fishing communities, as people went about their businesses,
oblivious of what mother nature had in store for them.
As most were far gone into the day’s activities, the
rains came with a fury accompanied by thunder and lightning.
Within a twinkle of an eye, the day had turned to night, as
dark clouds took over the sky. That was followed by very strong
winds that blew away everything in its path. In fewer than
30 minutes of the tumultuous wind and rain, a once vibrant
communities with houses and heavy vegetation, were levelled,
leaving just a few skeletal structures barely standing. Since
that devastation took place, the affected communities have
been left to lick their wounds.
At the last count, 951 houses had been terribly devastated
by the ferocious storm. Though, no human causalty was recorded,
property and businesses worth millions of naira were destroyed.
The affected communities are, Odomola, Poka, Noforija, Ede-Ejirin,
Ilara, Odoragunshi, Ibowon and Igboye. Others are: Odosiwola,
Eredo, Odogbawoko and Mojodo. The communities have been thrown
into darkness, as PHCN cables and transformers supplying electricity
to the areas were seriously damaged by the storm.
When Daily Sun visited some of the communities,
victims were seen rebuilding their homes, while many belongings
were still being dried in the sun.
Those whose homes were totally destroyed took temporary refuge
in makeshift shelters hastily constructed through communal
efforts. They bemoaned their fate in tearful voices and disclosed
that they were yet to come to terms with the reality.
Olaore Asumo, a carpenter, said he was almost crushed when
his house crumbled under the impact of the wind. Although,
he was elated at the sign of rain, the man said nothing had
prepared him for the catastrophe that followed.
Narrating his ordeal in an emotional voice, he said: "When
the weather changed, we thought it was going to rain and my
wife brought out containers to fetch some water. But when
the sky darkened, we all became alarmed and took to our heels.
We thought the end had come when heavy winds started uprooting
trees and blowing away roofs . I ran out of my house with
my family when the house started creaking. It was by a stroke
of luck that we escaped unhurt. We don’t know what we
have done to the gods to be visited with such a calamity."
Pains were ecthed on Moji Oyin’s face. Though grateful
to have survived the thunderstorm with her two-year-old daughter,
she is left to nurse a deep gash on her forehead, which she
sustained while trying to take refuge in a house.
"The storm has maimed me", she cried. " I was
hit by a flying aluminum roofing sheet, as I ran into a house
on my way from the market. What happened that day had never
been witnessed before in this area. It was as if the gods
were angry with the communities," she said.
For most of the houses that caved in, the possibility that
they could have survived the impact of the whirlwind was nil.
Most of the structures were constructed with mud, and plastered
with thin layers of cement. They all had one thing in common;
they were worn with age. Though, modern structures sparsely
scattered across the communities were also affected.
Members of the affected communities, who were livid with rage,
blamed the overwhelming presence of ramshackled buildings
in the area on the state government’s neglect.
According to them, the area has not felt the impact of the
state government since the beginning of the current democratic
dispensation. But since the disaster, however, the communities
have turned into a Mecca as government officials went there
in droves to inspect the extent of the storm’s damage.
At Noforija village, where only three houses were left with
roofs, no meaningful government presence was noticed. The
community elders were unhappy that days after the incident,
nothing meaningful was done for the storm victims.
Alhaji Onilekere Kayode told Daily Sun that
nothing had been done to ameliorate the suffering of the people
who he said had since been living from hand to mouth. The
possibility of many rebuilding their homes was a mirage, he
stressed.
"I have started making plans to reconstruct my partially
destroyed house. But what would be the fate of those who managed
to put up a structure after many years of labour? The government,
at this moment, should not shy away from its responsibility
to its people", they should help the people, he added.
The Executive Secretary of Eredo Local Government Development
area, Ganiyu Olayemi, noted that the disaster was wide spread.
He appealed to the state government to expedite action on
any assistance intended for victims of the disaster.
Reacting to the incident, Commissioner for Special Duties,
Dr. Tola Kasali, described the incident as pathetic. He said
that help was already on the way for the affected individuals,
as the state government was ready to assist those affected
to live a normal life again. He, however, appealed to members
of the public to join hands with the state government to make
the state disaster free.
"Affected landlords would be adequately compensated after
a primary survey and risk assessment has been concluded by
officials of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA),
local government and development authorities.
The General Manager of LASEMA, Dr. Oluwafemi Oke-Osanyintolu,
said the agency was fully prepared to handle emergency cases.
According to him, besides the aids that would be given to
victims of the disaster, all 57 local government areas in
the state are being harmonized to respond promptly to emergency
situations. He also called on Lagosians to be emergency conscious,
saying most disasters were man-made.
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