Three siblings in Alimosho area of Lagos State, were among numerous victims swept away by flood during the unprecedented rainfall in Lagos on Friday, July 8 and Saturday, 9, 2022.
The siblings, Michael,18,Elizabeth, 17, and Timi, 14, were reportedly swept away while relocating from a room apartment at Oke Isagun, Agbado Oke, Oko Local Council Development Area, LCDA, in Alimosho.
The said apartment was said to belong to Mercy of Christ Apostolic Church situated in an uncompleted building.
Tragedy was said to have occured while trying to relocate from their room to the main church structure ungortunately the youngest among them, Timi, an asthmatic patient, slipped into the flood while trying to climb the plank linking their room to the church building slipped.
It was gathered that in a bid to rescue Timi, Michael and Elizabeth were equally swept away.
The Coordinator, Lagos State Territorial District, National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, who confirmed the incident in his post disaster updates on Wednesday, said seven death were recorded, two in Ogun and five in Lagos while nine were rescued.
He said his team has paid condolence visits to the affected communities where a post emergency phase assessment was conducted.
Farinloye revealed that about seven people including the siblings and four adults died as a result of the flooding that was witnessed during the two days continuous rainfall.
The affected families as gathered, were mourning somewhere but NEMA team had a brief meeting with the community leaders on way forward.
Farinloye said about eight persons were rescued during the period.
Giving the break down of the incidents, he said, “The three siblings who lost their lives were residing at a church house belonging to Mercy of Christ Apostolic Church situated in an uncompleted building.
” Michael,18years,Elizabeth 17 years,and Timi, 14 years, were reportedly said to have been swept away while trying to relocate from their room to the main church structure but the youngest child, Timi was said to be asthmatic while trying to climb the plank linking their room to the church building slipped.
“The rest of the siblings while trying to rescue their sibling were also swept away.
“NEMA, while on a condolence visit to the families met the members of Progressive Community Development Area representatives who conducted the Agency round the areas,” said the Coordinator.
In his appeal to the community, he said for the rest of the year, she must embark on awareness and sensitization campaigns on safe actions to avoid the situation that they experienced during the period.
“The Community leaders also informed NEMA that in the same community, four siblings of same parents were also swept away same day but the community members rallied round and rescued them.
“Members of the Programme CDA briefed NEMA that rainwater from Meiran, Abbatoir, Alagbado, Agege and Toll gate converged and channeled to their community.” He added.
Meanwhile, residents of Oko-Oba, in Lagos have continued the search and rescue for one of the victims who were swept away by flood on Sallah Day.
Residents told Vanguard that one of bodies was recovered on Monday while the other was yet to be recovered as at 5pm on Wednesday.
Giving an update on this, Farinloye said, “The follow up story on the Oyatoki, Orile Agege flood remains four rescued and two dead.
“NEMA was at the scene for a post emergency phase assessment and met Honourable Adejare, Member, House of Representative representing Agege Federal Constituency who was on condolence and assessment visit to the area.
“The Honourable had directed the community members to block the road to prevent vehicular movement anytime they observed that the rainfall is intense and may cause havoc.
“He promised to liaise with the Local Government Authority and the Divisional Police Officer on this advise in order to save lives.” He added.
While Lagos residents were counting their losses, the NEMA Coordinator said two persons were swept away in Ogun while another was rescued. “Another two male adults were swept away while trying to cross over a road along Alagbole – Akute Road by Four Gate Hotel, Akute in Ogun State, a border community to Lagos State.
“The 3rd male adult that was saved is still on admission in the hospital but recovering fast.
“Other areas that have serious impacts but did not involved lives are: Mushin, Ikorodu, Kosofe, Agege and Eti Osa LGAs.”
