Skip to main content

Flood kills 10-year old boy, destroys houses in Oron, Akwa Ibom

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom-Emmanuel

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom-Emmanuel

A downpour that happened on Wednesday, which lasted for several hours, wreaked havoc and drowned a 10-year-old boy along Stadium Road in Oron, Akwa Ibom.

Narrating his ordeal, father of the victim, Mr Victor Asuquo, said that the unfortunate incident happened when the torrential rain transformed into flood and enveloped every available space in the area.

He expressed regrets that being a new resident of the area, it was difficult for his son to identify the drains from the road, saying this caused him (victim) to fall into the gutter.

He called on the state government to open up water channel for free flow of water in the area.

“When the alarm was raised that my child has falling into the flood gutter, it was too late as the water carry him far south into Ekpene Street, where he got drowned.

“I am appealing to the state government to do something about the flooding problem in Oron Local Government Area, as more harm may be caused during the few months of rain.

“Uyime was my last hope in life; the state government should come and assist me to take care of his siblings, “ he said.

Corroborating Mr Asuquo`s opinion, the landlord of the deceased, Mr Etim Asuquo, said that Oron is a flood prone area because of the unavailability of a functional drainage in the locality.

He maintained that successive governments had not paid serious attention to the ecological and environmental predicament of the people of the area.

He appealed to the state government to consider the urbanisation of Oron as a matter of priority.

He appealed to relevant government agencies to construct a bigger channel to control flood in the area.

In his remarks, Mr Anthony Bassey, the transitional Chairman, Oron Local Government Area, expressed shock at the unfortunate incident.

Bassey, however, said that the state government had concluded plans to urbanise Oron and other local government areas.

He called on residents of the area to imbibe the habit of good sanitation and warned against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the drains.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...