Tears, Anguish As Tree Falls And Kills 31, Injures 16 In Imo

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Thirty one persons were killed when a tree at the Ukwu Uko evening market at Umuejinwaoke Umudagu village, Mbieri, Mbaitolu Local Government Area, Imo, fell on them.

16 others sustained degrees of injuries during the incident, which was caused by rainstorm on Thursday night.

A resident of the community, Mr Nnaemeka Emenyonu, said in Owerri that the tree fell on the affected persons around 8:00 p.m.

He said the tree also destroyed the village hall.

“The big tree fell suddenly on 31 people, who died at the spot and injured 16 others. Those injured were taken to  hospital.

“The victims include two sisters, who sell tomatoes. Honestly, this is a saddest event in the  history of our community,” he said.

The traditional ruler of the community, Eze Godwin Duru, lamented that such a tragic incident had never occurred in the community.

“I do not know what to say. God, what can we call this?, My people were destroyed within a twinkle of an eye. what a pity,” he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Joy Elemoko, declined comment on the incident after several efforts to get the command’s reaction to the issue.

NAN

4 COMMENTS

  1. What you dont kwow about the tree that felled.The tree is deified by the indigens in the olden days when the spot it is now was a shrine center inside a bush.Today still deified by the adherents of the worshipers of the tree which stood at the town center providing shelter for the heat of the sun to the people and serving as a shelter to petty traders and buyers who gathers in the evenings under it for commerce.This is not to say that the worshiping of the tree is a consensus religion by the indigens as the ovrewhelmlng majority of the people are Christians.In the recent past a branch of the tree felled off and people started dying unusually and it was attributed to the felling of the branch by the adherents who did some sacrifices to appease the tree.But wonders shall never end.The tree felled yesterday(16 May) at arround 7.30 p.m. A day before yesterday(15 May) reminicient of Noah’s day certain mad man that has made the evening market center where the big tree stood his abode started announcing that people should quit gathrering under the tree as it is aboiut to fell and must fell.He who have ears let him hear.Well as a mad man nobody mind him and some even laughed off his words.Low and behold the next day(yesterday)after the warnings of the mad man calamite struck in the evening as people gather under the tree for market as usual it uprooted as heavy wind that preceeded last night’s rain that came arround 8.00 p.m. Started,My dear press men the death toll is more than 50.