A 300-year old tree fell and killed over 30 people on Thursday evening at Umudagu, Ihitte Isi Mbieri in the Mbaitoli council area of Imo State.
Local people said the large-framed ancestral tree had wide and strong branches and a broad base, explaining that it had traditionally served as the community’s commercial nerve centre for 24-hour trading.
The tree, which they said belonged to a dreaded deity in the community was uprooted at about 7:30 PM, when trading was in progress, by a wind storm that preceded a heavy rainfall in Owerri and its environs.
A resident of the community, Mr. Nnaemeka Emenyonu, told that the tree fell on the affected persons about 7:30 PM.
He said the tree also destroyed the village hall.
“The big tree fell suddenly, killing 31 people on the spot and injuring 16 others. Those injured were taken to the hospital.
“The victims include two sisters, who were selling tomatoes. Honestly, this is the 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.
When THISDAY visited the scene, officials of the State Emergency Management agency, led by the Executive Secretary, Mrs. Uche Ezeonyeasi were retrieving the trapped bodies, amid wailing and lamentations by relations of the victims.
A white ambulance Nissan bus with registration number “ Imo LG 25 NGN bearing the inscription ‘Health at your door step’ was was among the vehicles taking corpses to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, the state general hospital at Umuguma and Aladinma Hospital Mortuaries.
An eye witness, who gave his name as Amarachi Obumunaonye blamed the havoc on the refusal of the elders of the community to cut the tree as earlier directed by the community.
According to him, two individuals, who trimmed the tree's branches several years ago died shortly after, rousing suspicion that the gods of the land had been provoked.
A young woman called Lucy also hinted that a middle aged mad woman, whose mother hails from the area had on Tuesday warned traders to relocate or be prepared for unpalatable consequences but that the warning was ignored by the desperate traders.
The traditional ruler of the community, Eze G.C. Duru could not be reached for comment but the president general of the community, Mr. Maurice Anyanwu only described the incident as unfortunate and declined further comments.
Saturday 18 May 2013
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/falling-tree-kills-over-30-people-in-imo-community/147763/
http://www.punchng.com/news/falling-tree-kills-31-injures-16-in-imo/
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