BY OLUFISOYE ADENITAN
Data from the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA says over three million people were displaced in 2022 as a result of flooding which ravaged communities causing lots of devastation.
In this special report, Our Correspondent finds out the response of Ondo State government to the recent incidents of flooding in some parts of the state.
Human activities such as improper waste disposal , environment degradation and climate change have been identified as causes of flooding.
Flooding always result in destruction of properties, businesses, damaging vital infrastructure and disrupting services with costly impact causing lots of distress to the people.
Explaining further, A professor of Applied geophysics at the federal University of Technology FUTA, Akure, Gbenga Olayanju said that climate change was affecting the ice in the water and was causing rise in water levels.
For instance in ondo state, a 17 hour on a day rainfall in June, 2023 resulted in flooding in areas like irese in ifedore local government, Ala, Ayedun, Araromi and High school in Akure south local government where flood took over major roads, farmlands and communities, displacing residents and destroying properties.
Flooded areas in Akure in June.
Another flooded area in Akure.
The Acting Governor of the state ,Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa in company of the Ondo state emergency management agency were on ground for impact assessment of the flood.
Acting governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa in company of SEMA Secretary, Mr Femi Obideyi at one of the flood prone areas in Akure.
The Acting Governor charged residents to desist from improper waste disposal and stop blockage of water ways.
A resident in one of the flood prone areas, Mr Kazim Akharameh mentioned Abe cocoa, oke Aro, cele side to barrack area on Ondo road as highly prone to heavy flooding and farm produce had been washed away.
Mr Akharameh appealed to government to find a lasting solution to the situation considering the fact that rainfall would still continue till August
In an interview, the secretary, Ondo state emergency management agency, Mr Femi Obideyi highlighted measures taken to combat flooding through dredging of eyin Ala, FUTA Area to oba Ile for free passage of water.
Secretary, Ondo State State Emergency Management Agency Mr Femi Obideyi while speaking on measure taken by government to curb flooding.
Excavator deployed to site for dredging of the flood prone areas.
Dredging of Ala waterway along High school, Ayedun and Araromi areas.
Mr Obideyi explained that three excavators had been deployed to low land water areas to mitigate the effect of flooding.
He disclosed that relief materials were given out to victims of flood in ipele, igbokoda, Owo, High schools, Akoko among others.