A heavy downpour has wreaked havoc in Okpuitumo Community, Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, destroying the roof of an Assemblies of God Church and leaving worshippers stranded.
The incident, which reportedly occurred around 3:00 a.m. at Gmelina Junction, caused widespread destruction in the area.
Fortunately, no lives were lost.
The rainstorm left church members and residents in shock, as properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.
The affected church has since been rendered unusable, forcing members to conduct services in open spaces under harsh weather conditions.
Eyewitnesses revealed that the windstorm also impacted several nearby structures, blowing off the roofs of shops within the junction.
It was further gathered that a billboard belonging to Abel Uzodimma Nwozaka, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Rice Mill, was destroyed, alongside several economic trees in the area.
The pastor in charge of the church, Rev. Odorimo Moses, described the incident as devastating.
He explained that the building collapsed between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. during the storm.
“I was in the parsonage when I suddenly heard a loud noise. When I rushed out, I saw that the church building had already collapsed.
“The zinc, wood, and walls had all fallen flat. Church properties, including chairs, musical instruments, and the pulpit, were completely destroyed,” he said.
He appealed to the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, as well as other political office holders and well-meaning individuals, to assist the church in rebuilding.
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“We are now forced to worship under the rain and scorching sun,” he added.
Also speaking, a resident and victim of the storm, Mrs. Uguru Nwadurunne, a widow, lamented that her house was badly affected, with its roof blown off.
She disclosed that a 100kg bag of processed beans, food items, and other valuables were destroyed in the incident, and appealed to government authorities for urgent assistance to help cushion the impact on her family.
