Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered the immediate evacuation of areas affected by the flash flood that devastated parts of Ondo community on Friday.

The state government has also expressed sympathy with the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Ademefun Kiladejo, and the people of the kingdom.

To mitigate the damage, Governor Aiyedatiwa, on Saturday directed the Environment Ministry to intensify dredging and sanction developers building on canals.

The State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Oyeniyi Oseni, revealed that Amphibious Excavators have been deployed to critical erosion-prone areas, including Laje and Oke-Odunwo, for dredging.

He disclosed that similar dredging activities have also been carried out in Akure, Igbokoda, and Ore.

Oseni identified development on waterways in an Estate at Fagun and along Ife road as a contributing factor to the flooding.

He noted that to address this, the Environment Ministry will collaborate with relevant authorities to tackle unlawful development along waterways.

According to him: “The dredging of canals, particularly along Captain Cook up to the sawmill area of Ondo, will commence immediately to ensure free flow of water.

The Nigerian Monitor gathered that government’s swift response aims to prevent further damage and provide relief to affected residents.