3 Feared Dead As Flood Wreaks Havoc On Ekiti

Three persons are feared dead as flood incidents wreaked havoc on Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

The flood, occasioned by torrential rainfall that started on Sunday evening and continued on Monday until the early hours of yesterday, was experienced in several parts of the town.

Worst-hit areas were Adebayo, Aayemi Garage along Iworoko Road, Adehun Olohunda, Olorunsogo, Ikigbinsin, Elemi River along Afao Road, Ureje, Odo-Ado, Iyana Emirin, Faglo, Poly Road, Adere Ilawe Road, Falegan, Abeekoko, Basiri, New Iyin Road, housing, Oke-ila areas, among others.

The new Airport Road in Ado-Ekiti was also affected after the heavy downpour, with commuters and motorists seen navigating through floodwater that submerged several communities and major roads, disrupting movement and leaving residents stranded.

Many residents were said to have decided not to return home and instead stayed in hotels or friends’ homes to avoid being caught up in the floods.

Unconfirmed reports had it that two persons were swept away by the fast-moving floodwater while attempting to cross the flooded area at Aayemi Garage on Iworoko Road, after a group of persons who held each other’s hands had crossed.

Another case involved a middle-aged man and a motorcyclist who were reportedly trying to cross the Elemi River Bridge. The motorcyclist was reportedly swept away by the flood, but the other man was rescued by the people on Monday evening.

As of the time of filing this report, efforts were ongoing to recover the affected persons.

When contacted, the police command’s spokesperson, Mr Sunday Abutu, could not be reached on the phone.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti State government has urged residents and travellers across the state to exercise extreme caution as heavy rainfall continues to trigger flooding in some parts.

The advisory followed heavy rainfall experienced in Ado-Ekiti and other parts of the state in recent days, which resulted in flooding in some locations and affected properties, businesses and means of livelihood.

The State Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, in a statement made available to newsmen, expressed the government’s heartfelt sympathy to residents whose properties, businesses and livelihoods were affected by the flooding.

Olatunbosun stressed that the government had not been unaware of the possibility of intense rainfall, noting that, ahead of the latest incident, it had commenced sustained public sensitisation on the impending heavy rains predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), urging residents to exercise caution and take necessary safety measures.

He said the sensitisation was aimed at ensuring that residents remained alert to weather forecasts, avoided vulnerable areas and took appropriate precautions whenever heavy rainfall occurred.

The commissioner also disclosed that, in response to concerns arising from the flooding, he had directly addressed residents protesting around the Pathfinder/Aayemi Garage area along the Iworoko Road, where flooding had generated significant concerns among residents and road users.