Mother of 3, other killed as flood ravages community
A tragic flood disaster has claimed the lives of a mother of three and another individual in Ugwu Mkpume Layout, Achalla Agu, a community in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The victims were asleep when torrential flooding swept through their apartments, washing them away. The bodies were later discovered in a different location.
The flooding, attributed to an 11-hour rainstorm that occurred between Thursday and Friday, submerged several buildings, destroyed properties worth millions of naira, and washed away farmlands. Some families living on the upper floors of storey buildings were trapped, while the entire community was submerged.
Local residents have expressed outrage, attributing the catastrophe to the poor construction work by a government contractor. According to witnesses, the firm responsible for a road project near the area diverted rainwater into their community, instead of channeling it towards the River Niger. This, they claim, exacerbated the situation and caused the unprecedented flooding.
Ifeanyi Oghota, Vice President of the UgwuMkpume Achalla Agu Landlords’ Association, lamented that the state’s good intentions in road construction had been ruined by the negligence of the contractor. “We have not experienced a flood of this magnitude in 25 years. The damage caused by the wrong channelling of water by the construction company is beyond regrettable,” he said, pleading with the state government to intervene immediately.
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Dr. Alex, a local landlord, further explained that the floods broke into several houses, destroying properties and killing livestock. “I lost all my pigs to the flood. It tore down fences and entered homes while residents were asleep. A mother and her three children were swept away; the mother was found dead, but miraculously, her three children survived and were rushed to the hospital,” he said.
Dr. Alex also shared that a second victim, a man whose identity has yet to be determined, was found dead, likely swept from his compound by the raging floodwaters. Community members are still in shock at the extent of the damage and the loss of life.
Local authorities have been informed, and the affected residents have already begun writing formal complaints, urging the state government to address the situation. They believe the flood was worsened by poor planning, as heavy rains from surrounding areas were channelled into their community, which lacks the proper drainage systems (Sacamori) to handle such volumes of water.
One resident, Rose Enemchukwu, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stating that no one in the community has witnessed such devastation in the past 25 years. The surviving children of the deceased woman remain in critical condition at the Royal Hospital in Nkpor.
Efforts to speak with the husband of the deceased mother were unsuccessful, as he was too shaken by the loss to comment.
When reached for comments, the Public Relations Officer of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Chinyere Nwoye, said the agency had just received word of the disaster and would dispatch operatives to assess the damage. “We will mobilise immediately and work with the Commissioner for Works to investigate the matter further,” she assured.
Residents of the area are now calling on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to take swift action in correcting the issues caused by the road construction and prevent future floods, as they fear the disaster could happen again if nothing is done.
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