By Sulyman Gobir
Heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding around Ring Road, Agu Awka, in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, leaving one person missing and six children rescued.
Officials of the Awka South Local Government Area who visited the scene said the immediate emergency had been brought under control, while the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) continued rescue and response operations.
The six children rescued from the flood have been taken to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka, for medical attention.
Search operations are ongoing for the missing person.
The flooding disrupted movement around Ring Road, with videos from the scene showing large volumes of water covering parts of the area.
Some of the footage showed students reportedly trapped inside a school bus, while a woman was seen holding onto a tree after being swept into a flooded area.
Emergency responders have been deployed to assess the situation, rescue residents in danger and prevent further loss of lives.
The incident occurred amid a high-flood-risk advisory issued by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) for September 19 to 25.
NiHSA identified Anambra as one of 15 states vulnerable to riverine flooding during the period.
The agency also listed Awka South, Awka North, Anambra East, Anambra West, Ogbaru, Aguata, Anaocha and Ayamelum among flood-vulnerable areas in Anambra State.
Following the rescue operation in Awka, NEMA and SEMA officials are expected to assess the situation in Ogbaru Local Government Area, where continued rainfall could affect other communities.
Authorities are urging residents in flood-prone areas to remain alert and follow safety instructions from emergency agencies.
