An early morning windstorm yesterday wreaked havoc in different parts of Lagos and Benin City, the Edo State capital, destroying many houses, offices, electric poles and uprooting trees. Among the properties destroyed were the building housing the Ministry of Health at the Lagos Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
The wind blew off the roof of the left wing of the 6th floor of the building also known as Block 4 Alausa. Saturday Telegraph’s checks revealed that street light and electrical poles as well as billboards were also destroyed by the wind storm.
At Ikotun, the wind also led to partial collapse of a wooden structure erected on the upper part of a building at 72 Ore Ofe Street, Ile Ibadan Bus Stop. The structure caused collateral damages to other buildings beside it. In Somolu, the gale of destruction continued as the topmost floor of a two-storey building located on Fakorede Street, which was being used as an event centre partially collapsed.
Speaking on the incidents, the General Manager of the state Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Michael Akindele, said no life was lost in the serial destructions. He added that though the disaster was natural, he appealed to the people to be safety conscious and to always endeavour to alert the emergency agencies.
Akindele further advised property owners to ensure that the roofs of their buildings are in good condition. The GM also advised telecom companies to ensure stability of their masts to avert collapse.
