Bayelsa Landslide: Group Demands Assistance For Victims
Seriake Dickson
ERA’s executive director, Nnimmo Bassey, made the call today from Yenogoa, capital of Bayelsa, in an interview. Mr. Bassey said the devastating landslide occurred at about 6 a.m. on Saturday. He remarked that the state government ought to take steps to address the needs of those affected by the landslide. He asked the government to ensure that the residents of the area do not lose their ancestral lands.
Our correspondent learnt that the landslide, which happened on March 2, hit the riverside community of Okoloba in Kolokuma-Opokuma local government area of Bayelsa State, destroying several houses.
The affected houses were located along the bank of the Nun River. Several of the structures were buried by the landslide. No life was lost in the incident, but several sources within the community said the incident was the second time in five years the area was rocked by a landslide. “The worst affected areas are Abadan and Isedam compounds,” one of the sources said.
The source, an indigene of the area, said it was providence that averted what could have been the tragic end of occupants of the destroyed houses.
“We’re thankful to God that the incident did not happen when the occupants of the affected houses were in bed,” he said. “It could have been very, very disastrous. Sadly, a part of the area that was hit by a landslide some years ago was seriously affected by the latest incident.
“Some of the survivors are afraid that the area may witness a repeat of the ugly incident. So there is a lot of apprehension within this community,” he added.
Seyeifa Uzaka, an indigene of the area, also appealed to the relevant authorities to come to the aid of the community and save it from greater disaster.
No comments:
Post a Comment