Rainstorm Destroys Badagry Communities, Displaces Elderly, Children

Rainstorm Destroys Badagry Communities, Displaces Elderly, Children

Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Iragon-Iragbo communities in Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State experienced considerable damage as the early morning rainstorm destroyed no fewer than 30 houses yesterday.

The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, said the rainstorm caused considerable damage.

Oke-Osanyintolu said: “The extreme weather affected persons within Badagry Local Government. The heavy downpour caused considerable damage to at least 30 households in the Iragon-Iragbo Communities within Badagry.

“A number of homes have totally or partially collapsed while others had their roofs blown off by the heavy winds.

“We can confirm that the prototype school in the community, St Patrick’s Primary School suffered extensive damage.

“We have dispatched a team to conduct an enumeration of damaged properties and displaced persons, particularly elderly women and children, within the locality.”

Oke-Osanyintolu also confirmed that death was averted at No 6 Olonode Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, after a building partially collapsed after the heavy rainfall.

He report that all occupants of the building have been evacuated and directed to relocate to safe accommodation.

He said: “Upon arrival at the scene of incident, it was discovered that an old storey building was severely distressed with the reinforcement having corroded resulting in visible cracks on the walls and pillars likely due to a lack of maintenance.

“Further investigations revealed that all the slabs of the building were weak and as a result, part of the building has collapsed.

“Fortunately, there was no loss of life or injury at the scene. LASEMA responders and Lagos Building Control Agency (LASBCA) officials and other emergency responders are currently at the scene of incident to salvage the situation.

“Meanwhile, all the occupants have been immediately evacuated and the entire building cordoned off to prevent any secondary incident.”

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