Ocean surge sacks over 2,000 residents of Ondo coastal community 

More than 2,000 residents of  Ayetoro, a coastal community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have been displaced by the surge from Atlantic Ocean, destroying more than 100 houses. 

The ocean surge which caught the residents unaware started around 2:30 am on Saturday, when the people of the community were still in bed, destroying properties worth millions of naira. 

Speaking, the Secretary of the Ayetoro Youths Congress, Mr Emmanuel Aralu, stated that no fewer than 100 houses were affected by the surge which had rendered the people of the community homeless. 

According to him, the surge was sudden and affected virtually every house in the community with water submerging most of the houses in the community.

Aralu said besides the houses that were submerged, other properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed during the surge, as shops and commercial centre of the community were not spared by the ocean. 

ALSO READ: ACP, 2 other policemen shot in Edo

“The surge occurred in the middle of the night when many people had retired to bed and before we could make moves to start packing, most of the houses had been submerged. We had to evacuate the people from their houses.

“Property worth millions of Naira were destroyed and washed away into the ocean. Houses were also washed away by the ocean which had almost affected the whole Ayetoro town.” 

Aralu, however, disclosed that no life was lost, but added that “the economy of the land can never be the same.”

He attributed the surge to the failure of the state government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to complete the embankment project initiated in the area. 

He called on the state government to come to the aid of the people of the town known as Happy People City before the community is wiped out, saying the ocean surge has affected more than half of the community already. 

He said: “We want to appeal to the state government and other relevant agency to immediately come to our aid and give necessary assistance before the surge sacks the whole community”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE