Following three days of intensive rainfall in Lagos, a massive mudslide occurred on Dosunmu Street, Agidingbi, a swampy area sinking some shanties built in that area and killing one.
Two other persons who escaped death were rescued.
The shanties, which were constructed on a wetland, finally sank after the unceasing rainfalls weakened the soil.
Although three persons were initially buried under the mud, emergency workers rescued them.
Luck was not on the side of one Faisa Muhammad, who died barely ten days after her wedding.
The Spokesman, South-west for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, who confirmed the death said the dead married ten days ago.
According to him, “The information we initially received was that a building collapsed at Amaraolu bus stop, Agidingbi. Response agencies stormed the scene and discovered that it was a mudslide that collapsed on shanties. The mudslide incident happened in a swampy location.
“One woman recovered dead. The victim, Mrs. Faisa Muhammad, just married 10 days ago before the mudslide incident. Mrs. Faisa Muhammad about 16-years old lived with her newly wedded husband. Her mother lives there too.”
Also confirming the incident, the General Manager, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Michael Akindele, who was at the scene said the agency received the distress call and rushed to the scene.
He said, “The agency received a distress call through the emergency toll free line 112/767 at about 10.54 am of a report of mudslide on illegal shanties around Kuata Area by Amara olu street Mechanic Village Agidingbi, Ikeja.
‘Three persons were discovered trapped under the mud. The agency’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) was able to rescue two people (a male and a female). However, one adult female (Muhammad) lost her life. The agency’s Emergency Response Team recovered the dead.
“The area is a wet land and a buffer zone, which is not habitable for human settlement. The state government has been sensitizing people staying in flood prone and wet lands to vacate such areas to avert loss of lives, especially during this raining season.”
Also at the scene was the Commissioner, Ministry of the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, who urged the squatters to leave the area, as their shanty structures would be demolished soon.
Some of the affected residents, who lamented that they would soon be rendered homeless, urged the state government to help provide alternative accommodation for them, albeit temporarily.
On how the shanties caved in, they said it simply sank without much fuss, adding that the constant rains must have weakened the soil.
Emergency workers were drawn from NEMA, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Alausa Police Division, the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS).