A boat containing at least 85 people capsized, and many occupants are feared dead. Officials are not sure of the exact number on the boat at the time of the accident but reported that the passengers were members of the Ogbaru community in Anambra State, located in southeastern Nigeria.
The boat set sail on Onukwu Bridge, headed for Nkwo market, Ogbakuba, and capsized in the Umunnankwo community. The occupants of the boat were attempting to flee from rising flood waters. Residents of the area have been encouraged to leave, but many have ignored the directive. The most recent rise in floodwater triggered panic and caused many to jam-pack the boat, creating a dangerous situation.
The Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, South-East, Thickman Tanimu, told the News Agency of Nigeria that it is very difficult to assess the situation because of the dangerously high waters. He explained that many residents were de-sensitized to the situation because of the expectation that the flood waters would recede. He suspects chaos ensued as the water rose, covering many houses to the roof level. Seventy-nine deaths before the accident have already been attributed to the flooding.
Nine passengers have been rescued, and seventy-six are still unaccounted for. Tanimu added that there are plans to utilize the navy and air force to create an airlift for those still trapped. “This will involve the Air force and the Navy so that we can get an aerial view of the affected areas to see people who are trapped and airlift them,” he said. “With the rising flood, airlifting is the only solution right now. Any boat that goes in there is likely to capsize because the flood has covered houses to roof level”.
The National Emergency Management Agency had warned residents as recently as Friday to move out of the area to safer locations. There is growing concern that many residents will continue to ignore the warnings causing the death toll to rise.
