By Kamsi Anayo
Property and goods worth millions of naira were destroyed following sudden collapse of one-storey building in Idemili North local government area of Anambra state.
The building with eight shops, located at Ikenga Ogidi, near Building Material International Market, along the Onitsha Enugu Expressway caved in following last Saturday’s downpour in the area.
Although no life was lost in the incident, but eye witnesses and residents said goods worth over N150 million might have been lost by the owner of the building, trader occupants and neighbors whose property were destroyed by the flood that pulled down the building.
Eyewitnesses said there would have been records of casualties if not that traders in the building had closed for the day’s business before the unfortunate incident.
“The erosion not only led to the building collapse of the building but destroyed some building fences within the neighborhood,” they said.
One of them who simply identified himself as Uchenna said they were not surprised with the incident, alleging that the property was built on water drainages.
He called on state government and Controller Federal Ministry of Works and Housing Awka to stop further construction of buildings in the area, saying they posed danger to residents and traders.
He said, “Actually, the incident didn’t take us by surprise. Infact, we were waiting for the day it will happen because the property was built on water drainages.
“We have been complaining about the erection of the building but nobody, including both Federal and State Ministries of Works and Housing, listened to us.
“There is an underground drainage that crosses from right side of Onitsha-Enugu expressway to this left side, this collapsed building was erected where the channel from both sides of the road terminates.
“There is another underground water channel at the back of the building that is supposed not to be covered to allow water passage, but they sand filled the area on top of the water drainage before the collapsed building was erected.”
