BNRCC Project Backgrounder - Building Nigeria's Response To ...

PAGE 8Storm Wreaks Havoc in Enugu, 300 Families HomelessFlooding is becomingmore frequent in Nigeria.No fewer than 300 families havebeen rendered homeless in AmekeNgwo and Ngwo Uno communitiesin Udi local Council of Enugu statefollowing the destruction of theirhouses and economic trees worthmillions of naira by a wind stormwhich wrecked havoc in the areatwo days ago.Worst hit were residents of Ibiteand Umuezeani villages in Amekeas well as Akam in Ngwo Unowhere many roofs were blown offin the disaster that has forced mostresidents to seek refuge inneighboring villages and 9 th milecorner.When The Guardian visited theaffected communities yesterday,many house hold items and propertieslittered the compounds, whileresidents wore mournful faces, anindication that something has beenextracted from them.One of the residents, who identifiedhimself as John Okorie, said thestorm which preceded a down pouroccurred at about 8pm when mostresidents had returned home afterthe day's business. “It was like atornado as houses were being pulleddown and rooftops blown off. Severaleconomic trees were alsopulled down. In fact, the entirecommunity was devastated,” hesaid.He stated that though no human lifewas lost, the devastation would notbe forgotten in the near future. Hedisclosed that most residents losttheir entire belongings.Also speaking on the disaster, thetraditional rule of Ameke Ngwo,Igwe Jerome Okolo said the stormcame with a very terrible force andblew off houses, uprooted palmtrees, iroko trees and other economictrees, with some of themfalling on houses and reducing themto rubble. He said such a disasterhad never been witnessed in thearea for a long time. He called forurgent assistance to the victims.Chairman of Udi local council Dr.Walter Oji, who inspected the areayesterday, lamented the plight ofthe residents. He called for urgentFederal Government aid.It was learnt yesterday that the officialsof the Enugu State Ministry ofEnvironment and State EmergencyManagement Agency had alreadymoved into the area to ascertain theextent of the disaster and the victims'immediate needs.The Guardian Saturday, May 31, 2008 Vol. 25, No. 10, 748“It has been noted that climate change which emanates from emissions ofgreenhouse gasses (GHGs) by man remains one of the biggest globalenvironmental problems. From agriculture, to the ecosystem and socialstructures, climate change affects humanity.”Daily Champion, Tuesday, June 5, 2008, p35“Whatever happens over the next few years, our children and grandchildrenare going to live in a world in which the climate is very different from the onewe grew up with. A climactic time lag means that we are already locked intoa further half‐century of global warming. The concern is that if we keep onincreasing carbon emissions then climate change will become irreversible andthe long‐term consequences catastrophic.”Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, in the Guardian, April 19, 2006