Residents of Atimbo in Calabar, Cross River State, have urged the State Government to address the issue of falling trees during rainfalls.
They said falling of venerable trees have been destroying their properties especially houses and cars under them.
The Tide’s source reports that a Nissan Xterra Jeep was destroyed in one such incidences.
In 2024 also, a tree fell around the Muritala Muhammed highway on a mini bus, killing one of its occupants who was a lecturer at the University of Calabar.
An eye witness, Mr. Samuel Ekpenyong, told the source on Tuesday, that the rain that fell on Monday evening came with stormy winds and a resident’s car was damaged.
“She was still calling out for the gate to be opened for her when a huge tree in front of the building fell on the car and seriously damaged it.
“Although the woman was not injured because she was not in the car when the tree fell, this is one too many damages in Calabar,” Ekpeyong said.
Another resident in the area, Miss Ikaete Livinus, said there have been complaints about some of the trees in Calabar metropolis that have become too old and too large.
“Late 2024, Calabar was rendered without power for days because of a similar stormy rain that brought countless old trees down in the city.
“These trees did not just fall, they destroyed power installations like wires, poles, private properties like shops and buildings.
“It even made it practically impossible to access the Muritala Muhammed Highway because of the number of huge untrimmed trees that fell that night.
“The state government needs to be proactive and start assessing these trees early before the rainy season”, she said.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Moses Osogi, sympathised with those that have lost properties from the fallen trees.
He urged people in the city to park far away from trees whenever there is a storm.
Osogi said the state government was taking measures to ensure that old trees in the city are cut down to prevent more catastrophe.
“We have a unit in the Ministry of Environment whose responsibility is to identify and cut down old trees, if you go around the city you will see what we are doing, we are really trying our best, it is a gradual process.
“We advise people who may have identified old trees that looks like it may fall to come to the ministry.
“The unit responsible will certify that the tree is actually old and go ahead to cut it down or prune it,” he said.