A 10-years-old have lost his life to the torrential rain that turned into a flood on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 in Oron area of Akwa Ibom.
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.
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