Osun State Government has urged residents of buildings along water causes and river areas to relocate their belongings to safer locations.

This follows the continued rise in water level following heavy downpour that has rendered many people homeless in the state.

Just as predicted earlier this year by the National Meteorological Services that Ibokun and Ila Orangun local governments areas of Osun State were at high risk of flooding, while 15 other councils would also share some portion of the high volumes of water that would accompany this year’s rainfall.

Now, all the streets along the flow of River Osun are flooded spreading as much as between 50 to 70 metres away from its natural cause.

At Oke Ijetu, Oke Arungbo, Capital, Ataoja Estate and Abija, Gbodofon, Onitodun Baruwa among other areas in Osogbo, over 50 houses around the River Osun have been submerged by the water as residents continue to count their loss.

Some residents of the areas, including Mr Groggery Robbert and Miss Oyerinde Kehinde, who claimed that they had lived in the areas for over eight years told Radio Nigeria that this was the first time the water would move close to their now submerged buildings.

An automobile technician, Mr Kamoru Omolade said vehicle engine valued at over 750,000 naira and 5 mini inter city buses belonging to his clients had been submerged by the rising water.

At Ibu Amo, the head of the community was displaced from his house at about 5oclock in the evening on Friday.                     

Similarly, in Obokun at Ibokun Local Government, the Olojo River overflew its bank, destroying a mosque, buildings and most painfully farmlands of over 20 hectares in size, belonging to peasant farmers while it also took over the Osogbo IjebuIjesa Ibokun link road, paralysing business activities on the route for 2 days.

A member of the Osun State House of Assembly who represents the area, Mr Adewunmi Adeyemi who visited the road said such had never been experienced in the history of the community.

Mr Adeyemi called for the construction of a bridge big enough to contain the water flowing from the River rather than the culvert currently on it. 

During an emergency inspection of the affected locations in Osogbo, the State Supervisor for Works, Mr Remi Omowaye called on residents of the areas along Rivers and water ways to relocate to avoid flooding due to the unpredictable rise in the water level.

Mr Omowaye who blamed the situation on the Climate Change, assured residents that government was taking proactive measure to mitigate loss of life and property.

His counterpart in the Ministry of Environment, Doctor Obawole explained that River Osun had many tributaries from Ondo and Ekiti states as well as many rivers from other local government flowing into the River Osun, thereby increasing its water level.

Doctor Obawole warned residents against dumping refuse inside rivers as well as flowing water and to avoid construction of buildings on water courses or close to river banks.

As at the time of this report many affected residents living close to the river course were already evacuating their property as the water continues to rise causing panic in the Osun State capital city.

Findings shows that flooding, which wrecked havoc of this magnitude, was experienced in Osogbo in July, 2010 rendering many people homeless.

Adenitan Akinola

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