A five-year-old girl has been swept away by floodwater in the Akpu Road, Ogbor Hill axis of Aba, Abia State. The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, June 27, 2026, following a torrential downpour that lasted several hours in the city.
Details of the Incident
According to reports, the child, identified as Melody, who hails from a community in Edda, Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, was playing outside with her seven-year-old brother. The two children had gone outside their building on Akpu Road to bathe under the rain, defying their mother's warning.
It was gathered that while the duo were playing, Melody sat on an uncovered drainage collection box in the area. Before anyone could react, she fell into the box and was swept away by the floodwater.
Mother's Lamentation and Search Efforts
The mother, who sells garri at the nearby Good Morning Market, was immediately alerted. Lamenting the incident, she told neighbours that she had warned the children not to play or bathe outside when it was raining before leaving for the market that morning. Despite the warning, the children disobeyed, leading to the fatal outcome.
A search commenced immediately to recover the girl's body, but without success. The search continued on Monday morning in the nearby Waterside River. It is feared that the body may be stuck under a water tunnel or swept into the Aba River, popularly known as Waterside. At the time of this report, local divers were still searching the river for the girl's body.
