The Delta State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has disclosed that it has not been able to ascertain the total number of houses affected by the tragic rainstorm that ravaged Jeddo, Ughoton and Ugbokodo communities in Okpe local government area.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mr. Karo Ovemeso, Director of SEMA, to have said the level of damage left by the rainstorm is overwhelming and that assessment is still ongoing so that everyone affected by the natural disaster could be well captured.
“We went there yesterday and we have started assessing the level of wreckage left in the wake of the rainstorm.
“We have not been able to ascertain the total number of houses affected. The assessment is still ongoing. The level of damage is overwhelming,” Mr. Ovemeso told TNG.
Recall that residents of Jeddo, Ughoton and Ugbokodo communities were rendered homeless on Tuesday after a tragic rainstorm with hail ravaged the communities.
Among the critical infrastructures impacted by the natural disaster were healthcare centres, schools, several business premises, residential buildings, electric poles and wires, and places of worship.
Across the communities, the rainstorm removed roofs off buildings, roofing sheets were seen entangled in electricity power lines, while household items and building materials were strewn across compounds.
Residents displaced were seen moving their properties soaked in the rain. Business owners were also seen moving their badly damaged wares. Properties worth millions were destroyed.
“When we do assessment, we report to the government. The State government sent a high-level delegation to the affected communities. So, there should be an immediate action,” Ovemeso told TNG.
Speaking further, the SEMA Director said: “There is no way the government will send a delegation to the affected communities if there are no plans to take actions.
“With the delegation sent to the communities, you should know the State government’s level of readiness and the importance the government place into that disaster by sending such high-level delegation to that place.
“Because of the level of damage done, the assessment is not what we will hurry through.
“This is so that we will be able to capture everyone that is affected by the natural disaster. So, that we do not have issues of leaving some people out”.