Some residents of
Ubima Community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State are counting their losses which ran into millions of naira following the heavy destruction of properties in the area by rainstorm.
It would be recalled that in 2002, a similar incident was witnessed by the community on a smaller scale as only one compound was allegedly affected.
Some locals told newsmen that, that isolated incident was caused by Amadioha, the god of thunder who probably was on a retributive mission.
However, the incident that occurred this time around affected 50 per cent of the community.
Apart from residential apartments, the incident also affected places of worship as well as some government amenities.
Worst affected includes, the St Theresa’s Catholic Church Ubima, State School ll, Ubima and State School 1.
Also affected are the Cherubim and Seraphim Church the Ubima Market, Comprehensive Secondary School Ubima, community.
Secondary School Ubima, the Model Health Centre and the Presbyterian Church.
Similarly, numerous water tanks were pulled down in the rampaging storm as well as electric poles.
Farm lands as well as numerous residential buildings were affected by the storm. A cross section of residents told newsmen and officials of the National Emergency Management Agency as well as officials from the state Ministry of Special duties during a visit to the community that the disaster was the worst in the area.
Some of the aged who tried to recollect events in past, said that apart from the isolated incident in 2002 the community had never seen such disaster.
According to the residents, many people have been rendered homeless, while some have lost their sources of livelihood, their therefore, see the visit of the team as a succour, an indication that the outside world would come to their plight.
The Chairman Community Development Committee (CDC) Ubima, Elder Kings A. Elems, described the situation as a tragedy as the incident has adversely affected the community.
Elder Elems said that, a number of his community men and women have been rendered homeless, while some have lost their sources of livelihood as farmlands particularly plantain and cassava farms were uprooted.
“It is a tragedy of monument proportion, our only happiness is that no life was lost. “This is because it happened in the day time. However, many of my people have been rendered homeless” he said.
The Community Development Committee Chairman said that the community in its own little way, had tried to make things easier for the victims, stressing that the huge challenge has underscored the urgent need for both the government and corporate agencies including philanthropists to come to the aide of the community through the donation of relief materials.
“We need the government and companies to come and assist us now because my people are suffering.
“They need building materials and seeds to enable them go back to their normal lives”, he said.
On whether the Ikwerre Local Government was aware of the problem, the CDC chairman said that the Ikwerre Local Government Chairman Welendu Amadi, visited the community to inspect the destroyed Catholic Church, but since then nothing positive has come from the council.
The council chairman is yet to comment on this allegation.
He also lamented the silence of the corporate community in the plight of his people, stressing that this is the time Ubima needs their support to resettle those affected.
Elder Elems commended the team for the visit and expressed optimism that the community would see result from the visit.
Also speaking, a former Councilor in the Ikwerre Local Government Area from the Community , Hon Dike Lawrence said that the incident is affecting the community from all its sectors.
According to him, both religious and economic, everything has come to a standstill.
“The Community Development Committee (CDC) and the entire community are still thinking of what to do to assist the victims.
“We need financial assistance to replace things destroyed by the storm he said.
The former councillor also confirmed the visit to St Theresa’s Church by the Ikwerre council chairman, but regretted that nothing has been heard since then.
He used the discussion to thank the team for its visit, expressing confidence that with the visit the outside world would be fully aware of the level of destruction caused by the storm.
Also speaking, Mr Iheanyichukwu Nsirim said that he was lucky to escape as was asleep when the roof tumbled down on him.
He also said that he was lucky that the farmland left for him by his father was not destroyed.
Mr Nsirim said that the community needs the support of philanthropists to resettle her citizens.
He confirmed that some rich people in the community affected by the disaster have started rehabilitating their buildings, but people like him and others who have nothing must be rehabilitated to enable them go back to their normal lives.
Also resident, Asobi Bernard queried why churches were the worst affected, noting that this is beyond human understanding.
“My brother, all the churches including the one we call “one man church” is affected.
“This is beyond our understanding, he said.
Mr Bernard said that some part of the community has been thrown into darkness as the incident affected electric poles and cable.
He pointed to a water tank behind the St Theresa Church pulled down by the storm, stressing that even the on-going state government water project has not been spared.
In his word”, the effect of this is that, there will be waterborne diseases here if nothing serious is done about it”.
He, therefore, called on government and philanthropists to come to the aide of the community.
The NEMA officials later told the people that the report of their findings will be submitted to the government for immediate action.
A building destroyed by the storm