A 25-hour heavy rain across three states left seven people dead in
Ibadan, Oyo State capital and 30 houses submerged in Benin, Edo State,
while paralysing
business activities in the states.
The rain, which started in the evening of Sunday and continued for most
part of Monday, resulted in traffic snarls in all the affected cities
and towns, leaving many commuters stranded.
In Ibadan, although the Oyo State police command confirmed only two
people dead in Orita Challenge area of the city, residents of some
communities in Oluyole Local Government Area of the state claimed five
other people were swept away while attempting to cross a bridge, which
they did not know had collapsed.
One of the victims, said to be an unidentified elderly man, was said to
have disembarked from a commercial motorcycle and had attempted to cross
the flooded bridge at LAD Hospital area at about 8.00 a.m on Monday.
He reportedly died when he slipped and hit his head on the slab of the bridge.
The second incident, which occurred at about 11.30 a.m, involved a commercial
motorcyclist who also attempted to cross the flooded bridge, as the water swept him and his female passenger off.
Though the passenger was rescued, the okada rider was not fortunate, as he and his motorcycle were swept away.
His body was, however, found around 2.30 p.m about 200 metres away from the spot where he was swept off by the flood.
In Benin, the Edo State capital, the rain, that started at about 7.00
a.m, left no fewer than 15 houses submerged at Azinge Crescent, Ihama
Road, GRA, while, at least, three houses were nearly submerged at
Slaughter Street in Aduwawa.
At Aiguobasinmwin, the Customary Court of Appeal and the secretariat of
the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) were affected, while some
houses and vehicles were submerged in the area.
It was the same story at Oza Street, off Sokponba Road in the Edo State
capital, as many vehicles were trapped and damaged inside the flood at
Ihama, Adesuwa and adjoining streets of Sapele Road
Businesses were paralysed in notable commercial areas such as Ring Road,
Forestry, Third Junction and New Benin, as retail outlets and stores
were locked as a result of the high intensity of the rain.
In Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the rain, which spanned over 20
hours, disrupted socio-economic activities in the state capital, causing
gridlock in some areas.
Though there was no recorded casualty, the rain prevented pupils of
private schools, who had already resumed for the new academic session,
from going to school.
