A heavy thunderstorm that accompanied Monday’s downpour wreaked havoc at the Akure Airport, Ondo State, destroying vital equipment inside the airport’s control tower and grounding commercial flight operations.
The storm, which left passengers, airport users, and aviation officials stranded, reportedly damaged key facilities, including the network time protocol system, encoder, air conditioners, computers, and other essential equipment.
A source at the airport confirmed the extent of the destruction, saying: “Monday’s thunderstorm severely affected the control tower. Several equipment were damaged, the windows were shattered, and the ceiling caved in.”
The source further disclosed that staff residential quarters were also impacted. “At least seven staff buildings had their roofs blown off due to the intensity of the storm,” the source said.
In response to the incident, airport authorities have suspended all commercial flight operations indefinitely, pending the repair of the damaged equipment.
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