Seven-year-old Boy Drowns After Downpour In Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has advised residents to be cautious and adhere to safety measures during the rainy season, following the downpour that destroyed property and drowned a seven-year-old boy in Uyo.



It was learnt that the downpour, which occurred on Saturday evening and lasted many hours, submerged homes and pushed the boy, who was struggling to escape the flood water, into a drainage.

Residents noted that the deceased was struggling to escape with his mother who had a newborn baby strapped to her back along Akwa Efak area within the Uyo metropolis.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh, and the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Dr. Iniobong Essien, who visited the scene, on Tuesday advised residents to be cautious and follow the safety rules.

They, however, sympathised with the family of the victim, assuring residents that the state government would provide necessary safety measures to guide road users from straying into open gutters and big drainages in the city.

The commissioners, who inspected the flood-prone areas of Akwa Efak by Two Lanes, said barricades, including wire mesh and iron bars, would be erected to prevent a repeat of the incident.

“Government is committed to taking proactive measures towards providing safety measures for lives and property during this rainy season.

“It is also expedient for members of the public and transporters to be careful as they walk or drive through the streets during the heavy downpours especially near big drains and gutters to guard against death by drowning,” the commissioner said.