Four persons drowned and property worth millions of naira were destroyed on Friday in Obosi community near Onitsha, Anambra State, following a downpour that lasted for about five hours, a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The rain, which started in the early hours of Friday, led to the collapse a four-storey uncompleted building in the Owelle Aja area of the community and flooded many houses, with their occupants trapped.
NAN correspondent observed that some of the affected residents were removing their property soaked by the rain while others were laying sandbags and trying to create access for the flood water.
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It was also observed that residents of Oduke Layout were wailing as a family of four were said to have been washed away by the flood water.
Speaking to NAN, a landlord in the community, Chief Achebe Ifemaje, urged the government to move fast to re-plan the community and stop land speculators from selling every space of land without regard to the flow of water in the community.
“What has happened is a big lesson to everyone, especially where people refuse to plan but put money first rather than the safety of lives.
“We appeal to Governor Willie Obiano to come and re-plan the entire Obosi community especially its layouts and Owelle Aja areas,” he said.
An indigene of Obosi, Mr Michael Chukwurah, urged government to stop land speculators from indiscriminate division of land into parcels and restore the master-plan of the community by removing structures that blocked water passage.
