Afao-Ekiti (Ekiti State) – Rainstorm on Sunday night destroyed, at least, 27 houses in Are and Afao-Ekiti communities in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti.

The disaster came barely a week after a similar storm destroyed 62 houses and rendered more than 300 persons homeless in Ipao-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of the State.

The rain rendered some areas in the communities impassable and pulled down weak structures, particularly mud houses and old buildings.

Some residents of Are-Ekiti and Afao-Ekiti communities said the rain was the first in the year and that they thought it would have been a blessing by reducing the heat level and assisting farmers in their farming activities.

The Traditional Ruler of Alafao in the area, Oba Joseph Ademilua, said the people had yet to come to terms with the huge loss.

He appealed to the State Emergency Management Agency and National Emergency Management Agency to come to the aid of victims to alleviate their suffering.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while 16 houses were affected in Afao-Ekiti, 11 were destroyed at Are-Ekiti.

In Are-Ekiti, the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Boluwade Adebiyi, had his palace fence and the town hall pulled down, while two of his cars were also damaged.

A former Gov. of Ekiti State, Mr Ayo Fayose, who hails from Afao-Ekiti, conducted the State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, round the affected areas when he paid a sympathy visit to the people.

The State Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmilayo Olayinka, during a sympathy visit to Ipao-Ekiti, last week, over a similar occurrence, urged residents to cultivate the habit of planting trees around their houses to check damage by rainstorm.