Two persons have lost their lives when heavy rain flooded Karshi, a suburb of Abuja, over the weekend. A Sienna space bus with plate number SMK 903 ES carrying 4 persons was washed away by the flood.
The two bodies were later recovered and identified as Ambrose Umelelle 26 and Esther Aka. One person survived the flood when he swam through the bus window to safety, the remaining other passenger was still being searched for by the search and rescue team of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
He also conveyed his condolences to the families of the two victims from neighbouring Kokosu community of Nasarawa State.
While on his visit to Karshi, he called on the residents to be alert to possibilities of flood as the rainy season enters its peak in the coming months.
“I have directed that our team of engineers should be dispatched to study the situation with a view to stemming future occurrence. From all indications this is a natural disaster. I am happy that our team is on ground for the search and rescue operations,” he said.
Also speaking to newsmen, the Chief of Karshi, Alhaji Ismaila Mohammed dispelled insinuations that the incident was caused by a burst dam, saying “the dam is still intact and still under construction. I thank the FCT minister for his quick response in dispatching the FEMA team who have worked with local inhabitants since last night, to retrieve the bodies of the victims.”
Rresidents of the neighbouring Kokosu community of neighbouring Nasarawa State lost their lives in the incident. These two were among the four whose vehicle was carried away by the flood. One of the passengers was however lucky as he was reported to have jumped out of the vehicle thus saving his life.
Briefing the minister on the incident, the Acting Deputy Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation, Florence Wenegieme (Mrs) indicated that upon receiving the information, last night, the agency immediately arrived the location of the incident and swung into action. The efforts yielded results when they recovered the bodies of the two dead early this morning, as well as the Toyota Siena, Space-wagon in which they were travelling.
He said, “We have gone as far as three kilometres into the waterway without seeing the body, the search continues.”
Mrs. Wenegieme also reported that the river bisecting the community and neighbouring Nasarawa State had risen above its banks on account of massive rains and consequent flood from the neighbouring hills overwhelming the box culverts and overflowing the roads. Many of the road users had been forced to wait on the banks of the flood when the driver of the Siena wanted to try his luck.
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