One dies, two missing as bridge collapses in Kwara

The collapse of a bridge embankment in Oko-Erin, Ilorin, the Kwara State, has claimed the life of a man while two others are still missing. The incident happened late Saturday evening during a downpour.

According to eyewitnesses, the man was returning home when his car was swept off by the flood. Two of the occupants were said to have quickly ran out of the car while the driver and two other occupants were not that lucky.

The flood forced the car into the collapsing bridge embankment and eventually into the floodplain. While the driver of the car had been found dead, two others were still missing as of the time of filing this report.

The Kwara State police command has embarked on a search of the two occupants. According to the command’s spokesman, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, “We are leading men of other relevant agencies along the river bank for the missing persons. We cannot confirm whether they are dead or alive.”

Sources told The Guardian that the search party might seek for the services of some local divers from Shao, Moro Local Government Area of the state, to speed up the search.

Meanwhile, the state government has mobilised emergency responders to the scene while efforts are being made to remove the vehicle from the floodplain.

In a related development, flood has destroyed 100 houses and displaced 300 persons in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom after a downpour, which started at about 3:00a.m. on Sunday, and ended around 12noon.

The flood displaced some residents of Eket in Edem Udo, Grace Bill, Marina Junction, Udoh Umoh, Stadium Road, Ikot Udoma, and Idua Road, among other adjoining streets in the area.

Mr. Ubong Mark, a resident of Edem Udom in Eket, while narrating his ordeal, said he had suffered from effects of flooding in the area for the past eight years.

“Today’s flood is, indeed, a serious calamity that has befallen me.” I was at home preparing for church when water began to enter into my house as a result of accumulated pressure of the downpour. Right now, I have lost most of my belongings, especially books, electronics, beddings, a laptop and other personal belongings,” Mark said.