Heavy rainfall accompanied by windstorms on Friday wreaked havoc in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, damaging houses and electricity poles and injuring a student.
Our reporter gathered that the downpour affected several communities in the area, including the Control Post along Uyo-Ikot Ekpene Road, Uruk Uso community, and houses along Abak Road.
The Chairperson of the Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Aniefiok Nkom, visited the affected areas on Saturday to sympathise with the people.
A statement from the chairperson’s office, posted on Facebook on Saturday, indicated that the heavy rainfall resulted in widespread destruction, flooded streets, and displaced residents in several communities across the area.
“This is a very unfortunate incident. My heart goes out to all those affected,” Mr Nkom, a former commissioner in the state, told residents during the visit and promised the council’s assistance to the affected persons.
According to the statement, properties affected include residential buildings, commercial structures, and public institutions.
The media office also posted the picture of Mr Nkom’s visit to a hospitalised student of the Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene, who was injured by the rainstorm.
Mainly a coastal state, Akwa Ibom is characterised by a long wet season and a shorter dry season.
Its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean contributes to high humidity and substantial precipitation.
The heavy rainstorm is likely to continue as the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), a federal government agency responsible for providing weather and climate information and services to the public, has listed Akwa Ibom as one of the states to witness more rainfall this year.
Seven days ago, the agency predicted heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, and many other states in the southern part of the country.
