TRADERS ESCAPE DEATH AS COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE CRUMBLES AFTER HEAVY DOWNPOUR.
A one-storey commercial building housing eight shops has collapsed in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, following days of persistent rainfall that battered the area.
The building, located along the Onitsha-Awka-Enugu Expressway near the Building Materials International Market in Ikenga Ogidi, reportedly caved in on Saturday night during a heavy downpour, destroying goods and properties worth millions of naira.
Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident, as traders and business owners had already closed for the day before the structure gave way.
BUILDING REDUCED TO RUBBLE.
When reporters visited the scene on Monday, the collapsed building had been reduced to heaps of rubble, with parts of the debris already washed away by floodwaters.
Residents said the structure was occupied by traders dealing in building materials and had shown signs of weakness before the collapse.
One resident living near the area disclosed that the building had gradually tilted to one side due to erosion caused by continuous rainfall.
RESIDENTS BLAME EROSION AND POOR DRAINAGE.
According to eyewitnesses, the collapse was caused by severe erosion and blocked drainage channels around the property.
A resident explained that an underground drainage system passes beneath the area, carrying water from both sides of the expressway.
He said the building was allegedly constructed on a water passage and right-of-way, preventing the free flow of stormwater.
“Before the collapse, the building was already leaning to one side because of persistent rainfall and erosion,” the resident said.
“With the heavy rain that fell on Saturday night, the structure could no longer withstand the pressure of the floodwater coming from different directions.”
CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION.
Following the incident, residents called on the Anambra State Government and the Federal Ministry of Works to halt further construction in the area, warning that similar structures could face the same danger.
They also urged authorities to conduct a thorough assessment of nearby buildings to prevent future disasters.
Another resident noted that government officials had visited the site to inspect the damage and determine whether surrounding structures posed additional risks.
INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY.
A government official at the scene, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that investigations had commenced to determine the exact cause of the collapse.
The official said authorities would examine whether the building received proper approval and whether construction standards were followed.
“As you can see, the structure has suffered extensive damage and poses a danger to the environment around it,” the official said.
“Investigations will establish how the building failed and whether regulatory procedures were complied with before construction.”
The official also advised residents to remain cautious as Anambra State continues to experience heavy rainfall.
POLICE YET TO COMMENT.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Anambra State Police Command were unsuccessful.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached as calls to his telephone line did not connect at the time of filing this report.