James Sowole in Akure
The residents of Alade Idanre town in Idanre Local Government and Ayede Ogbese in Akure North Local Government Areas of Ondo State are now counting their losses as flood submerged several houses and shops in the two communities.
The flood occurred after downpour on Sunday and yesterday in parts of the state caused a river to overflow its banks.
Areas affected by the flood were Alade Idanre; Oke Mapo; Opa and Yaba Alade Idanre among others while many areas were affected in Ayede Ogbese.
Properties destroyed by the flood included cars, mattresses, cooking utensils among other items were destroyed.
Disturbed by the incident, residents of the two communities have called on the federal and state governments and other intervention agencies, particularly, the National Emergency Management Agency, to come to their assistance.
One of the victims, Mr. Festus Olamiti pleaded with the government to come to his aids, lamenting that his house of more than seven decades had been destroyed by the flood.
He worried that due to his old age, he had neither the income nor a relative to run to.
Another victim, Taye Akinyemi, lamented that he put all his saving to set up his fishery business and everything inside his fish ponds had been washed away by the flood within few hours. He also appealed to the government to come to his aid saying that he had nothing to fall back on.
Another victim, who identified herself simply as Bolatito, narrated with tears that she was left with nothing except the clothes on her body because of the flood. She too appealed to the government and well-meaning Nigerians to help her.
A resident of Ayede Ogbese, Mr. Michael Adesina, attributed the flood to the overflow of a river in the town. He urged the state government to dredge the river to prevent re-occurrence of the incident.
