On Tuedday buildings, vehicles, motorcycles and household items were among properties were carried away by flood in ibadan.
An analyst disclosed that the incident brought back the memory of the August 26, 2011 flood disaster. The state government, in anticipation of a flood disaster, spent millions of naira to dredge rivers and streams. The measures failed on Tuesday as water channels overflowed their banks and flooded a good number of areas in the city.
Some of those affected were a Celestial Church of Christ at Orogun and the University of Ibadan axis of the city, which were submerged by flood waters. Witness said one person was trapped in the deluge but was quickly rescued by sympathisers and men of the state fire service. According to residents, a bulldozer belonging to a contractor dredging the Orogun River was swept away and hung under a bridge, which was submerged by the flood. At Gbekuba, Oke-Ayo, Odo-Ona, Gada and Omi-Adio in Ido Local Government Area, where Governor Abiola Ajimobi hails from, homes and farmlands were submerged by the flood. The flood made the Ibadan-Abeokuta Expressway at Omi-Adio impassable. Most traders at the popular Omi-Adio Market lost their goods; the abandoned Magistrates’ Court was also submerged by the flood.
He said: “Many people are complying with environmental laws in the state now. We started preparing for this in December 2016 through a World Bank assisted project. Fourteen rivers and streams were dredged. This year, we have dredged 36 streams and rivers. This cannot be repeated every year because it is just a palliative measure. That is why we are working on three master plans for Ibadan that will take care of this issue. The attitude of our people is responsible for this flooding. They have refused to obey the setback rules and instead, they build houses on river channels. It puts pressure on the drainage channels.” Oluwole Olusegun, public relations officer of the Oyo State Command of the NSCDC, disclosed that a team, led by John Adewoye, the state commandant, rescued many people who were trapped in the floods. Nevertheless, he said: “Some people were, however, adamant on staying in their homes until the flood waters recorded.”
History of Ibadan flooding: Since 1955 when the flood disaster that started from Ogunpa and Kudeti rivers ravaged Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State killing hundreds of people, residents of the state have been living in palpable fear whenever the rainy season approaches. Looking at the frequency of flooding in the peaceful city, it will not be out of place to say it has become a recurring decimal which at times leaves heavy casualties. There is hardly a year when the state will not experience flooding though.
An analyst disclosed that the incident brought back the memory of the August 26, 2011 flood disaster. The state government, in anticipation of a flood disaster, spent millions of naira to dredge rivers and streams. The measures failed on Tuesday as water channels overflowed their banks and flooded a good number of areas in the city.
Some of those affected were a Celestial Church of Christ at Orogun and the University of Ibadan axis of the city, which were submerged by flood waters. Witness said one person was trapped in the deluge but was quickly rescued by sympathisers and men of the state fire service. According to residents, a bulldozer belonging to a contractor dredging the Orogun River was swept away and hung under a bridge, which was submerged by the flood. At Gbekuba, Oke-Ayo, Odo-Ona, Gada and Omi-Adio in Ido Local Government Area, where Governor Abiola Ajimobi hails from, homes and farmlands were submerged by the flood. The flood made the Ibadan-Abeokuta Expressway at Omi-Adio impassable. Most traders at the popular Omi-Adio Market lost their goods; the abandoned Magistrates’ Court was also submerged by the flood.
He said: “Many people are complying with environmental laws in the state now. We started preparing for this in December 2016 through a World Bank assisted project. Fourteen rivers and streams were dredged. This year, we have dredged 36 streams and rivers. This cannot be repeated every year because it is just a palliative measure. That is why we are working on three master plans for Ibadan that will take care of this issue. The attitude of our people is responsible for this flooding. They have refused to obey the setback rules and instead, they build houses on river channels. It puts pressure on the drainage channels.” Oluwole Olusegun, public relations officer of the Oyo State Command of the NSCDC, disclosed that a team, led by John Adewoye, the state commandant, rescued many people who were trapped in the floods. Nevertheless, he said: “Some people were, however, adamant on staying in their homes until the flood waters recorded.”
History of Ibadan flooding: Since 1955 when the flood disaster that started from Ogunpa and Kudeti rivers ravaged Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State killing hundreds of people, residents of the state have been living in palpable fear whenever the rainy season approaches. Looking at the frequency of flooding in the peaceful city, it will not be out of place to say it has become a recurring decimal which at times leaves heavy casualties. There is hardly a year when the state will not experience flooding though.