The flood ravaging Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja has claimed another 15 persons and increased the number of casualties recorded to 30 persons.
At least 15 people were killed in landslides and floods caused by heavy rains in Suleja city and Gwagwalada area in the capital Abuja over the past 24 hours.
Before yesterday’s tragedy, 15 persons were confirmed dead when the city experienced a midnight downpour that destroyed several houses and displaced many residents.
The rain, which started at about 2:00 a.m., poured for hours on Saturday morning, leading to the overflowing of riverbanks that affected several communities.
Consequently, findings revealed that the worst affected areas were Zuba, Dei- Dei, Giri, Angwan Tiv, Dawaki, Abattoir, and Angwan Dodo of the FCT.
It was gathered that the rain-swept off several cars and in addition damaged a bridge linking Ikwa, Yimi, and other villages inside Zuba.
With the collapse of the bridge, according to residents, the situation forced several commuters and residents to explore other alternative ways of commuting as other roads became inaccessible.
Residents, also, claimed that three persons were reported dead in Zuba, Gwagwalada Area Council after the rain submerged buildings said to be built along the waterways.
As gathered, residents affected by the deluge were making frantic efforts to salvage some of their property and domestic items destroyed by the rain as well as trying to account for their family members and neighbours.
The Director-General FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Idriss Abbas, painted a grisly account of the humanitarian tragedy brought about by the flooding when he led rescue operators on a tour of the affected areas yesterday.
Abbas said rescuers had recovered a lifeless body of a missing family member, noting that they were still searching for the four other members.
He added that FEMA “rescued six people who were subsequently taken to hospital for medical care. There was a building that collapsed in Dawaki as a result of the flood.
“Gwagwalada is flooded from Giri. A family of five were swept by flood at Giri. We got one body and are still searching for four. We rescued six people and are in the hospital.
“The flood damaged a lot of houses and property, especially at Gwagwalada. The residents are still saying some are missing but they cannot give us the identities of such persons who they claim to be missing,” Abbass said.
