By Victor Akinkuolie

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The recent torrential downpour in many areas in Ekiti State has rendered scores homeless, most hit were the residents of Ado-Ekiti, the capital of the Ekiti State and Ilawe-Ekiti community, while property worth millions of naira were destroyed.
Mostly affected in Ado-Ekiti were landlords at Dalemo, Adebayo, Tinuola, Eminrin, Olorunsogo and Afao roads where flood ravaged over 20 buildings and destroyed property worth several millions of naira in the communities.
The torrential downpour which started last week came back in the same magnitude on Saturday and Sunday and dislodged residents before they returned home.
One of the victims, Mr Joshua Jemiloni, who spoke with our correspondent said “the flooding was caused by the erosion many of his area from Christ’s School at Fajuyi area in Ado-Ekiti and coupled with the fact that Elemi stream along Iworoko road that flows downward overflowed its bank and these generated the flood that destroyed houses in our area.
“It affected about ten buildings and we recorded casualties , but for the fact that we quickly ran out of our buildings with our wives and children to seek refuge in safer neighboring houses.
“Apart from destroying some of the buildings we have lost other valuables like electronics, clothing materials, furniture, and kitchen utensils to flood.
“The carnal was dredged during the first term of Governor Kayode Fayemi, but it has been blocked by debris which I believe led to the flood,” he stated.
Another victim, Mr. Fagbamila Ojo, a resident of Ilawe-Ekiti, appealed to the government to dredge the affected carnal identified as the main cause of the destructive flooding .
“The carnal at Tinuola area needs to be dredged to be able to contain the water from upland. I will also advise that dredging of Elemi stream will help in controlling erosion, because each time it overflows its bank, it will push water backward and this will affect that section and other adjoining areas,” he said.
Many of the affected residents who also narrated their ordeals described the flood as unprecedented calling on the state government to save their lives and businesses and to support in cash and kind to enable them put the pieces of their lives together.
The Alawe, Oba Alabi who described the disaster as the first in the history of the town as hundreds of people were affected, sought the intervention of both the local and state governments to assist the flood victims.
The monarch who blamed the flood incidence on lack of drainage and good layout in some streets in the town, urged government to assist landlords and residents of the town who were now left with nothing due to the damage done by the flood.
A community leader in Ado-Ekiti, Sir Lawrence Egunjobi, who expressed shock at the level of damage done by the flood, called on government to, as a matter of urgency, come to the aid of those rendered homeless by the flood.
Another community leader, Chief Sesan Ojo, said several houses had been washed away by the flood and urged government to address some of the factors responsible for incessant flooding in the state.
The chairman, Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Capt. Sunday Adebomi, (rtd) said the agency was aware of the incident.
The SEMA boss stated that his agency will embark on-the-spot assessment to know the extent of damage and how best to intervene to control flooding in the area.
According to the Nigeria Meterological Agency (NIMET) forecast, Ekiti is among the 28 states of the federation affected by heavy rains and massive flooding between September and October 2021 which prompted the state government to embark on sensitization programme for residents on safety measures to prevent a repeat of flooding.