By Tony Okafor, Awka
Floods, occasioned by heavy rain at the weekend, killed two children in different locations in Nkwele Awka, in the Awka South Local Government of Anambra State.
The deceased were said to between the ages of four and seven years.
While one of the kids was swept away by the flood while disposing refuse on the flood channel, the other was flushed by the flood while trying to rescue his slippers being carried away.
A source said,“The mother had sent the girl on an errand to go and dispose their waste when she was caught up by the flood.
“She was pouring the waste inside the drainage when her leg suddenly slipped and she fell inside the drainage and was carried away by the heavy flood.”
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),Tochukwu Ikenga, said the incident had not been reported at the command.
He however described the case as pure
environmental disaster, assuring that the command would continue to collaborate with government to improve safety in the state.
The PPRO said,“This is pure environmental disaster but we keep working with government to make sure safety is improved.”
Recall that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had alerted the nation about looming flood disaster in 19 states, including Anambra State, warning that adequate preparations should be made in good time to avert the level of devastation that occurred during the last year’s flood disaster across the country.
It also advised communities residing in the coastal regions to begin early to evacuate themselves from those areas before the flood would come
Over 50 communities were swept away by flood last year in Anambra State; destroying buildings and farmlands as well as causing an outbreak of cholera.
