Rainstorm destroys more than 300 houses in SE Nigeria

More than 300 houses were destroyed by a rainstorm which wreaked havoc across two communities in Nigeria's southeastern Cross River State over the weekend, local authorities said on Monday.

Director General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency John Inaku said only one death was recorded in the incident.

At least 72 houses were destroyed by the rainstorm in Bansan community, while 228 others were destroyed in Irruan, the emergency official said.

Hilary Bisong, a national legislator representing the Boki constituency in the Nigerian parliament, told reporters the level of havoc wreaked by the windstorm was partly caused by "over deforestation, particularly in Bansan community".