Thursday, March 7, 2013

‘How we escaped landslide disaster in Bayelsa’

Victims of the landslide disaster that buried eight houses in Okoloba community of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State yesterday described their escape from being buried along with  their houses as an act of  God. The Paramount Ruler of Okoloba, H.R.H Mac-Carthy Macpherson, said hardwork and early morning fishing among the people of the community made the escape from the disaster  possible,”saying many residents of the affected houses were at the river fishing in the early hours of the day, while others had started cooking when they heard a loud sound and saw their houses sinking before their very eyes”.
He noted that some neighbours hurriedly moved in and engaged in rescue operation.
One of the victims, however, said the disaster was natural, adding that it occurred four years ago causing the destruction of a jetty in the community.
The victims and the paramount ruler, however, bemoaned  the slow take-off of the intervention shoreline protection project being funded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
TRIBUNE

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