The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Monday said 8,000 people were displaced in seven major disasters in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states in January and February, 2015.
Dr Bandele Onimode, the Director of the agency in the three states, disclosed his in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that 1,000 houses and 251 shops were destroyed by fire and windstorm in the states during the period.
In Lagos, the director said that 1,064 persons were displaced in fire disasters during the period, adding that the incidents displaced 652 persons in Iwaya area and 412 traders at Balogun Market.
“The victims have been provided with relief materials by NEMA through Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA),’’ he said.
In Ogun, Onimode said that a fire outbreak at Igbo Aje Market in Ilaro on Jan. 27 affected 306 traders.
According to him, Oyo state recorded highest number of 6,676 victims in four different incidents of wind and rainstorm disasters.
He listed six communities ravaged by the storms as Ilaro in Afijio Local Government Area, Lagbondoke and Agunpopo in Atiba Local Government Area, Irewole and Isokan in Oyo West Local Government Area and Oko in Surulere area.
He said that all the incidents in Ogun occurred between Feb. 9 and Feb 10.
The director said that the agency had assessed the damages in all the communities ravaged by the disasters for compensation.
‘’One thousand houses and 251 shops were destroyed by the disasters in the three states.
“NEMA has delivered relief materials to victims of fire disaster at Iwaya community in Yaba LCDA of Lagos through the state government.
“Food and non-food relief materials were provided by NEMA for distribution to the victims through the LASEMA,’’ he told NAN.
Onimode implored Nigerians to embrace tree planting as a measure to guard against wind and rainstorm and to prevent soil erosion.
He said that planting trees also helped to create serene environment.