Yesterday evening, our attention was drawn to the school of nursing Portharcourt, in Rivers state.

 

it was a distress call stating that the roof of their hostel C block had been completely blown off thereby displacing the entire students of that block. 

 

On our arrival at the school this morning, the site at the gate gave us an inkling of the horror awaiting us inside. We were taken round the school site by some of the students and shown the various buildings which were damaged following the huge winds and rainfall which occured yesterday the 23rd of January 2017.

 

One eyewitness who spoke to the Nursingworld CEO and reps who were on site to witness and cover the extent of the damages while describing his experiences said: “We were just in our rooms before the rains started. 

 

The winds were so strong that it was knocking down students who werent holding onto anything." 

 

"Some of us were thrown around as we were attempting to run out of the hostels because the buildings were shaking and vibrating not to mention the fact that the winds were also flinging the zinc's torn off the roofs around."

 

"Those of us who ran out of the buildings were lucky enough not to get decapitated or maimed by shreds of the zinc roofings while running to safety." 

 

“We don’t just understand how the everything happened. 

 

It was just so very fast.” 

 

Another of the students commented: "The environment is unsafe for us, right from the back fence of the school to the water logged areas in front of our hostels, especially when it rains then its dreadfull to all of us who stay here because the flood brings in a lot of debris and dirt into the compound. Our buildings are not safe, the way it was shaking, blocks falling, zinc flying left and right, it was scary like hell."

 

"Some of our colleagues were hurt and injured, even a few of them were traumatized because of the event from fear. Its really not the same as just retelling the stories of what happened as living through it all."

 

The Students also confirmed that a delegaion from the Rivers State Ministry of Health arrived at the school once they were made aware of what had occured, the delegation was said to be made up of Dr. Odagme M-Iyenebari Theophilus the Commissioner for Health, the State DNS amongst others. 

 

The students who were intervied said the Commissioner looked totally shocked at the extent of damages done to the buildings and at the state of the buildings and surroundings, where by he promised to immediately make funds available for the repairs and update the school itself to prevent further occurances of such.

 

Jennifer Emelue of Nursingworld Nigeria who was on scene to assess the damage called on the government to come to the aid of the students and the school. She bemoaned the state and level of dilapidation of the structures and buildings in the school. She noted that this institution of great learning has produced many great and financially capable nurses who work in various international organziations like SHELL, TOTAL, LNG to mention but a few. She called on alumni's of the school to come to thier aid. Efforts to reach the school principal for comments wasnt successful as at time of filling in this report.

 

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