Paul Osuyi, Asaba
At least, 10 persons escaped death by the whiskers when rainstorm wreaked havoc in Alifekede community in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The victims were severely wounded as they were hit by flying objects during the rainstorm that destroyed goods including consumables; and valuable property such as houses, electricity poles, economic trees among others worth over N100 million.
But no life was lost to the natural disaster, according to locals who recounted their experiences to Sunday Sun.
A community leader in the boundary town between the state and her twin sister state, Edo, Pa. Monday Obiazi said most of the injured victims were on admission at the hospital after first aid was administered on them.
Pa. Obiazi who spoke at the community market along the Benin-Asaba-Onitsha highway, informed that the roofs of the market were blown off, thereby exposing goods including garri, yams, pineapples among others to rain which destroyed the foodstuffs.
As a result of the incident, Pa. Obiazi said no fewer than twenty households have been rendered homeless, adding however that some of the victims were now taking refuge in neighbouring towns.
He described the loss as “too heavy” for the subsistence families and petty traders to bear, and therefore called on the relevant authorities to come to their aid with relief materials to cushion the impact of the disaster.
“The damage is such that individuals cannot bear. The loss is heavy. Roofs of several houses were taken off by the accompanying wind. All the women in this market had just gone to restock, with each of them, over one hundred, buying at least a pick up load of goods which were destroyed.
“I can tell you that it will be difficult for the victims to restart their lives on their own without adequate support. For the traders, they will have to go and obtain loans without collateral because some of their houses were affected.
“So we need both the, local state, and federal governments and all the relevant agencies and well-meaning Nigerians to come and rescue us from the situation we have found ourselves,” he appealed.
Also speaking, a youth leader in the town, Engr. Obiazi Kingsley Isioma said Alifekede was one of the most neglected communities in the state, adding that they were stunned by the level of destruction caused by the rainstorm.
He also appealed to government to intervene and cushion the impact of the disaster on the victims by sending relief materials.