Oba’s palace submerged in flood, scores of residents rendered homeless in Ekiti.

The palace of the Alawe of Ilawe-Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Alabi, was among the many buildings sacked by flood in Ekiti, on Thursday night.

Our correspondent reports that the Thursday rain which began at about 6 pm and lasted for hours, rendered many residents homeless as their bouses were submerged in the after rain flood.

The Correspondent, who went round the metropolis and surrounding neighbourhood, including Ilawe-Ekiti, the headquarters of Ekiti South-West, Local Government Area of the state, observed that properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed by the flood.

The Media Adviser to the monarch, Chief Ajibade Olubunmi, who confirmed the palace flood incident to our correspondent, said it was an unfortunate natural phenomenon that had brought the people untold hardship.

Olubunmi, a former Director of Information, Ekiti State University, said several rivers and streams overflew their banks resulting in flood as the rainfall continued for hours on Thursday night.

It was observed that Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, many major roads were flooded while some residents were sacked from their houses and shops by the flood.

Mr Biyi Akin-Fasae, an indigene of Ado-Ekiti, blamed the nonchalant attitude of the residents toward maintaining proper waste disposal measures for the flood.

According to him, the residents refusal to heed the warning of the Nigerian Metrological Agency which had predicted rainfall-induced flooding, is the major cause.

“We have been warned of this flooding.

“The Metrology Department has flagged Ekiti among the 17 states that are likely to experience flood but very little was done to guide against such occurrence,” he said.

Mrs Labake Adeniyi, a flood victim in Ado-Ekiti, said all efforts to salvage her wares from her submerged lock-up shop proved abortive.

“I have lost my wares and other property to this flood menace, I’m appealing to the state government and other relevant agencies to come to our rescue,” she said.