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Tessy Igomu and Henry Okonkwo
At least six people have been confirmed dead and property worth millions of naira destroyed at various communities after days of heavy intermittent rainfall in Lagos State.
The rains which continued to wreak havoc in parts of the city yesterday led to the collapse of a building that killed a family of four at Magodo area and swept away an 11-year-old plus his rescuer at Aboru community in Alimosho area, while also destroying property at Rademo street, behind Recreation Centre, at Ita Elewa in Ikorodu.
General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Femi Oke-Osayintolu, who confirmed the casualty figure of the Magodo tragedy in a statement made available to Sunday Sun, said that the tragedy struck around 8:00 a.m on Saturday, when a house situated at Arisha Water Front, Otun Araromi street, in Magodo Phase 1, collapsed, killing a family of four.
The names of the victims as obtained by Sunday Sun are Mrs Jumiah Utache (wife), Faith Emmanuel (wife’s sister, nine years old) Domino Utache (two-year old) and Daniel Utache (one-year-old boy).
The husband of the woman, Mr Emmanuel Utache, survived the tragedy, but sustained severe injuries and has been taken to the hospital for treatment.
The LASEMA boss also said that some injured victims trapped in the rubble were rescued, and rushed to a hospital, while emergency officials were on the ground to ensure safety at the scene.
While confirming the other disaster at Ita Elewa, Ikorodu, Osayintolu said that the house was an old storey building, but did not say if there was any lost of life. “Upon arrival at the scene of the incident, it was discovered that part of an old storey building at the house has collapsed.
“Further investigation revealed that the immediate cause of the incident was as a result of the downpour, the building is obviously an old one built with mud bricks. It is seriously distressed with visible cracks,” he said.
In the same vein, the yesterday’s flood swept away an 11-year-old boy and his rescuer, one Wasiu, into a canal linking Aburo in the Iyana-Ipaja axis.
According to a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report, the unfortunate incident occurred following the overflow of the canal.
It was gathered that two young boys sent by their parents to buy cooking gas at a gas station unknowingly fell into the drain through which water passed into the canal.
“Three young men attempted rescuing the boys and succeeded in rescuing the older one, but one of the rescuers popularly known as Wasiu Stubborn was swept away while trying to rescue the other victim,” eyewitnesses said.
