By Praise Chinecherem
A middle-aged woman has lost her life in a flood incident following downpour in Oko, Orumba North Local government Area of Anambra State. The deceased, identified as Mrs. Onyinye Okafor, a mother of five was said to have gone to transact business in a bank within the area and was on her way home when the incident occurred.
According to eyewitness, the deceased who hailed from Etti in Nanka community, Orumba Nouth Local Government Area of the State was swept away by the deluge after she jumped out of a tricycle, she boarded in attempt to save her life.
The witness who preferred anonymity said, “It was about 11:49pm on Tuesday after the woman came out from the bank where she went to perform some transactions.
“Due to the heavy rain, she packed her motorcycle within the area and boarded a tricycle to the bank, after which she boarded another tricycle to go pick her bike.
“While on the tricycle, the rider lost control due to the heavy flood but was battling with the steering and trying to return to his lane.
“Suddenly, the woman jumped out of the tricycle in the midst of the flood in attempt to save herself.
But immediately she jumped down, she mis-stepped and fell into a drainage channel and was washed away by the flood.”
The witness however regretted that efforts to rescue her by the tricyclist, together with some of her co-passengers proved abortive as the ravaging flood eventually swept her off their hands. โMany of those who attempted to rescue her also sustained varied degrees of injuries due to the impact of the flood,โ the witness sobbed.
The body of the deceased was later recovered under a culvert of drainage channel located exactly at the gate of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, after hours of intensive search.
She was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where she was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
Confirming the incident, Police spokesperson, Ikenga Tochukwu said the body had been recovered, while investigations into the incident has commenced. “The body has been recovered and the CP has directed an investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death. Meanwhile, the identity of the corpse is yet to be identified,” he said.
