By Hosea Parah

Residents of Isua Akoko, headquarters of Akoko South-East Local Government Area of Ondo State, are counting the cost of a devastating rainstorm that tore through the community, leaving homes damaged, families displaced and public infrastructure in ruins.

Speaking on the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Association of Isua Advisory Council, Ajoke Alecs Banana has appealed to the Ondo State Government, Akoko South-East Local Government, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other relevant authorities to urgently assess the damage and provide relief to affected families.

He said the destruction was extensive, although no life was lost and no injury was recorded.

“Fortunately, there was no casualty and no injury, but some families were displaced as a result of the disaster,” Banana said.

The storm, which struck on Monday night, September 7, 2026, was accompanied by strong winds and hours of heavy rainfall, triggering flash flooding in parts of the agrarian community.

No fewer than 20 houses were reportedly severely affected, while several other buildings, fences and structures sustained varying degrees of damage.

Roofs were ripped off residential buildings and a primary school, while solar panels, streetlights, electricity poles and other electrical installations were also damaged or pulled down.

The destruction forced some families to abandon their homes after parts of the buildings were rendered unsafe. Some displaced residents have since taken refuge with neighbours and relatives.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the situation as devastating, saying many families were struggling to recover from the sudden loss of property.

He said several houses were severely damaged, while other structures across the town were affected by the storm and flooding.

The Secretary of the Association of Isua Advisory Council, Mr Raymond Adeyemi, said the association had commenced efforts to provide succour to victims while seeking assistance from government agencies and other stakeholders.

Adeyemi said the association was particularly concerned about displaced families and would continue to support them within its capacity.

Residents also called on the authorities to investigate and address the ecological factors believed to have worsened the flooding, warning that failure to tackle them could expose the community to similar disasters in the future.

For affected families, the crisis has gone beyond clearing storm debris. Many now face the difficult task of finding safe shelter, repairing damaged homes and rebuilding livelihoods destroyed within hours by nature’s fury.