Some houses and several farmlands were reportedly destroyed by a rainstorm that wreaked havoc in the Iyah Gbedde community in the Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The PUNCH gathered that the incident occurred between Tuesday and Thursday. It also left the community Town Hall in ruins.
Speaking to newmen, the National President, Iyah Gbede Development Association, Emmanuel Jeminiwa, described the incident as devastating and unfortunate.
Jeminiwa who could not provide figures of people and houses affected, stated that many families have been rendered homeless and helpless because of the destruction of their houses
What’s more worrisome is our food crops such as yams, cassava, and maize have been washed away by torrential rain that left us with no option.
“You know that Iyah Gbede is an agrarian community, hence the devastation on our crops. The disaster also affected our community township roads and rendered them impassable,” he lamented.
He further noted that farmers could no longer access their farms as a of the collapsed bridge lading to their farms.
He said that the people were in dire need of assistance, adding that the damage done was beyond what the community could handle.
The president, however, called on the Federal and State Governments to assist the community as many of those affected were squatting with either friends or family members for convenience.
He specifically called on the National Emergency Management Agency, the State Emergency Management Agency, corporate organisations and spirited individuals to rescue the community.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Environment, Victor Omofeye, said that the government was aware of the incident.
He said the report of the unfortunate incident had reached his office and that adequate preparations were being made to ascertain the level of damage and see how victims could be assisted as expected.
The commissioner warned residents of the state to be vigilant and not to live around flood-prone areas so as not to be affected given NiMET’s early warning on the heaviness of this year’s rainfall and its devastating effects.
NAN
