A yet-to-be-identified woman and a young man, on Sunday, were reportedly killed in canoe accidents in the flood-ravaged Okpai and Onuabor communities of Delta State‘s Ndokwa East Local Government Area.
Confirming the incidents, Mr Juan Governor, Chairman of the local government area, said yesterday: “We regret to announce that the death toll due to the flood situation in NELGA has risen to four.”
“You will recall that we had earlier announced the death of a lady from Akarai and that of a young boy from Otuoku. Yesterday (Sunday) we got a report of another two deaths resulting from the flood; one is a lady from Okpai and the other is a young man from Onuabor.
“While commiserating with the families, we want to reemphasize the importance of safety during this challenging period. Two of the deaths (the woman from Okpai and the young man from Onuabor) are reported as a result of canoe incidents while the young boy from Otuoku was reportedly carried away by the floods while walking in a current-driven mass of water.
“The woman from Akarai reportedly took ill from the cold of harvesting farm produce in her flooded farmland and due to the flood, medical attention was not available and a boat to take her out did not arrive on time.
“By the time they finally got a boat, her condition was already out of hand and as she was being transported from Akarai to Aboh for medical attention, she gave up the ghost in the boat in the middle of the river.
“The situation calls for more stringent safety precautionary measures and everyone must look out for each other, especially during this peak period of the flooding because the water levels keep increasing by the day, and the current of the water is tripling by the day as well.”
In a related development, a 16-year-old boy named Temedi Yerimene was reportedly killed by a surging flood at Igbogene community in Bayelsa State’s Yenagoa Local Government Area, and his body was dragged into a deep canal near the state capital’s entrance.
It was gathered that the deceased, who was in the company of his age mates, went swimming in the rising water near the State Ecumenical Centre but was swept away by the powerful current.
It was further learned that attempts by the search party to locate him dead or alive proved futile as half of the community has been submerged in flood.
The mother of the deceased, identified as Mama Carol, who told newsmen that they are indigenes of Amabolu in Ekeremor Local Government Area, confirmed that the tragic incident happened at about 11 am while she was away to get foodstuffs for lunch from the market.
The grieving mother lamented: “When I came back from the market, I was told he had gone swimming with friends. But I thought he was swimming in the rising water level at the compound. Until one of his friends told me he had been dragged by the flood into the canal.”
Another resident of Igbogene community, identified as Destiny, said the community leaders had warned parents to prevail on their kids to avoid the rampaging tide of the flood to avoid mishaps.
Meanwhile, more communities in the state have already been taken over by the rising water level.
The secretariat of the Kolokuma/Opokuma council area is gradually being taken over by rising floods. But the permanent camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) located at Boro Town in the Kaiama community seems to be on safe grounds.
