2 persons missing as flood destroys houses in Abuja estate
Two persons have been declared missing after hours of heavy downpour on Monday in Abuja submerged the popular Trademore Estate in the Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The flood took over the estate located on Airport Road, rendering thousands of people homeless and properties destroyed.
In a video circulated on Monday morning by an unidentified woman whose voice was heard, the estate was seen almost completely submerged by the flood, while some properties were seen flooting outside homes inside the rain.
“This is Trademore Estate, federal government we are pleading, two persons just died now, the water took them away.
“Two persons swept away now by this water, please we are begging. FCT minister come and do something, we are appealing.
“See the Police Station is gone. These are people’s residences, and water is everywhere. Minister of FCT, Honourable Wike, please come to Trademore Estate, people are dying. Two people just died this morning, what a pity,” she said in the video.
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It would be recalled that the flooding in the estate has been a perennial occurrence every rainy season, which made the FCT Administration promise to tackle it, but nothing has been done.
Last year, the FCDA announced that it would demolish structures on waterways in the estate and other estates across the FCT, but residents of the affected areas vehemently opposed it.
According to a statement issued by the FCDA executive director, Shehu Ahmed, the structures in communities such as Trademore Estate disrupting the natural water flow, were responsible for flooding recorded in some parts of the city.
He said despite the Administration marking many buildings in the estate, the occupants refused to vacate.
The planned demolition was a result of the continuous flood that has reportedly claimed the lives of some residents and destroyed several houses, vehicles, shops, and other properties.
The residents during a protest said that many of them were still paying mortgage on their houses, which was why they were kicking against plans by the FCT authorities to demolish structures in the estate.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), on Sunday, predicted thundery and rainy weather conditions from Sunday to Tuesday across the country.