Some residents and
corporate bodies in Port Harcourt City and environs are still counting their losses occasioned by devastation caused by severe rainstorm two weeks ago.
As at the time of filing this report, over fifty houses, billboards, vehicles and a number of poles belonging to the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) were severely damaged by the storm.
Some of the corporate citizens who were counting their losses include, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), the Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, City Crown Hotel, Iwofe road, Port Harcourt and a number of others whose billboards were affected in one way or the other in the incident.
Some residential buildings were deroofed particularly those at Rumuola, Iwofe, Igbo Etche, Rumuokoro, Rumuokwuta, Emohua and other areas.
A number of trees were also felled by the storm, while at Rumuola junction, a giant billboard allegedly owned by one of the corporate bodies in Port Harcourt was uprooted and placed on top of a storey building. Similarly, a number of electricity poles belonging to the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) were damaged in several locations across Port Harcourt City and its environs.
Six electricity poles were damaged at Igbo Etche throwing the area into darkness, some were damaged at GRA phases I and II, Borikiri as well as Rumuok-wurusi axis of Port Harcourt.
The PHEDC has put the number of poles damaged so far to over 300, while a number of transformers also suffered similar fate. In a statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Manager, Corporate Communication, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), Mr. John Onyi, said that two 33kvs and five 11kvs feeders, especially those in the Rivers State University, (RSU) Rumuomoi, Federal Housing Estate, Wokoma Street, Bori Camp and Rumuola were all affected.
Onyi regretted the incident stressing that the firm sympathised with consumers over the incident. The Rector, Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, Dr Samuel Kalagbor told newsmen that the incident affected over seven buildings in the institution.
Kalagbor said that the destruction occurred when students were in the class writing their semester examination, stressing that the school had to call of the examination as most of the classrooms were affected.
The Rector called for urgent intervention from the government as the level of destruction is beyond what the school can handle alone.
The Commssioner for Special Duties, Emeka Onowu who visited the institution to inspect the level of damage, regretted the incident, stressing that the state government is happy that no life was lost.
Onowu, however cautioned residents against trying to remove property under heavy windstorm.
Though the manage of City Crown Hotel, Iwofe road, could not be reached for comment, a senior staff who spoke under condition of anonymity, said that the management is battling to restore the hospitality outfit back to its normal condition.
Meanwhile, reactions have continued to trail the level of damage caused by the storm.
A landlord, Chief Andy Eze, told The Tide in an interview that those affected by the incident need the support of both the state and federal governments.
He said in other parts of the country, people who suffered this type of problems were usually provided with relief materials.
Also speaking, a Professor of Sociology, University of Port Harcourt, Professor Mark Anikpo, said the persistency of such incidence may lead to more sufferings for the human population.
According to him, the situation could lead to food crisis as more farmlands will be washed off, while severe flooding will be experienced.
He stressed the need to step up campaigns against the erection of structures on water right of ways. Prof. Anikpo also warned against unnecessary movement during rainstorm occasioned by lightening as that can lead to loss of lives.
He also advised against living nearer to big trees and electricity poles.
Similarly, a lecturer at the Institute of Geosciences, Rivers State University, Dr. Precious Ede advised people to always plant trees with long tap roots to avoid them falling on houses during windstorm.
The university Don, who spoke in Port Harcourt also stressed the need for people to be vigilant as more of the incidents may be experienced this year in the state.
Also speaking, the Programme Director, Centre for Environment Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Mr. Steve Obodoekwe, regretted that the incident occurred when there is extreme hardship in the country.
“The recent windstorm caused a lot of havoc in some parts of Port Harcourt.
“At this period of extreme hardship, peoples’ houses were deroofed, government and public spirited individuals and corporate bodies should consider it as a serious disaster and come to the aid of those affected.
Obodoekwe also stressed the need for the relevant authorities to visit the affected areas to assess the extent of damages with a view to working out emergency assistance in form of relief materials. For Mrs Binbeke Deele, a business woman, the incident is regrettable.
“I felt so bad when this incident happened. Some of these people cannot afford to buy the materials for the buildings of their houses.
“Government should help those who lost their property. Those who are rich should also help those poor people.
On his part, the chairman, Health, Safety and Environment Committee, Chinwo Town, Port Harcourt, Prince William Chinwo stressed the need for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to come to the aid of the people.