10-year-old boy ‘returning from church’ killed by flood in Delta

Seven persons have been killed during a rainstorm in Delta state.

Speaking at a press conference in Asaba, Delta capital, Charles Aniagwu, commissioner for information, said a 10-year-old boy was among the victims.

Aniagwu said the incident occurred in the Oko axis of Oshimili and Okpanam, Oshimili South LGA of the state on Wednesday.

He said the boy was returning from church in the evening when he “slipped and fell into the drain”.

“The storm that greeted the downpour on Wednesday; in the Oko axis, we lost six persons as the rainstorm [brought down] a building and some trees and the collapsed structure led to the death of six persons,” he said.

“One other is critically injured and he is being attended to at the Asaba Specialist Hospital, while five others are in stable condition but sustain some level of injury.”

“There is also another one that is so pathetic in Okotomi community in Okpanam. The state government is intervening with flood control measures to save the community from flooding and to open up the area.

“But on account of the rainstorm flood on Wednesday, a 10-year-old lad, who was returning from church in the evening slipped and fell into the drain that was being constructed.

“And because of the large volume of water in the ongoing construction project, the lad was swept by the flood and all attempts by neighbours and others to recover him failed, though the search is still on as at today.”

He said the government team is on the ground to ensure that the bodies are recovered.