Owing to the over 200 houses and properties worth millions of Naira that were last Monday destroyed by a violent rainstorm in several parts of Port Harcourt, Rivers state governor has given an order for an assessment to be carried out as soon as possible.
Area worst affected include the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, the Rumuola Junction, Iwofe, Ogbogoro, Eliparanwon and Ada George road, where some buildings were also de-roofed and vehicles damaged by the windstorm.
About 85 high tension poles belonging to the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHED, were also destroyed by heavy wind during the down pour.
It was gathered that as a result, damaged poles with other associated materials, such as 150mm aluminum conductors spanning over 32,000 metres, several cross arms, among others, have thrown a cross section of Port Harcourt metropolis into darkness.
It will be recalled that TPCN reported earlier that the downpour had left several parts of the city in darkness.
Confirming the incident, the Manager, Corporate Communication of PHED, John Onyi said in the wake of the loss, two 33kv and five 11kv feeders namely; UST 33kv and Rumuola 33kv, were affected.
“Others on 11kv were Rumuomoi, Federal, Wokoma, Bori Camp and Rumuola,” he said.
Reacting to the natural disaster that culminated to the loss of supply to the affected areas, Onyi said the Acting Chief Executive Officer, PHED, Syed Taha has appealed to residents to exercise patience, while the damaged poles are being replaced.
He assured customers in the affected areas that the management would do everything possible to ensure early restoration of power supply despite thousands of naira that it would cost PHED to do so.
According to him, it is regrettable that PHED is facing such a loss at this moment, due to natural disaster “but I can guarantee that supply will be restored to the affected areas soonest, because we have taken stock of the extent of the damage and sourcing of materials for rehabilitation has started in earnest”
In the same vein, the firm sympathised with the members of the public who may have lost one item or the other during the heavy rain.
He however, reminded the general public of the dangers of trading or erecting structures under high tension lines, urging them to always obey safety rules especially during this raining season.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, the Reactor of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic Dr. Samuel Kalagbor said that over seven buildings in the polytechnic were devoured by the rainstorm.
Dr Kalagbor who said that although no life was lost to the incident, said that the situation has affected the semester examination as students were in the hall writing examination when the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has confirmed that no life was lost in the incident.
Commissioner for special duties, Emeka Onowu who said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt also cautioned residents of the state against trying to remove properties during such an incident.
Onowu said that the issue of safety should be the paramount concern of all before thinking of property.
Also speaking, the state commissioner for Education, Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja said that the incident is a natural disaster, stressing that the Federal Government should assist the state.
Worried by the devastating windstorm that wreaked havoc in some parts of the state, last Monday, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has directed immediate assessment of captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnics, Rumuola PortHarcourt to ascertain the level of damage done on the school with the view of finding solutions.
The Rivers State commissioner for education, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja said this when he led the permanent Secretary and other management staff of the ministry on an assessment visit to the school.
The commissioner also noted that the governor has directed the ministry and his special duty counterpart to visit the school and other affected areas in the state for immediate action.
