Two missing after flood sweeps rescuer and girl into Aba gutter
- A man slipped into a flooded gutter in Aba while trying to save a teenage girl on Sunday evening.
- Both were swept away and had not been found as of Monday, with fears they reached the Aba River.
- Fire service, police and residents are searching the drainage channels along Faulks Road.
A man who tried to pull a teenage girl out of a flooded gutter in Aba, Abia State, was swept away along with her on Sunday evening, and both were still missing as of Monday.
The incident happened at Ukwu Mango on Faulks Road during a heavy downpour, according to Vanguard and Legit.ng. Residents said the man slipped into the gutter as he reached for the girl, and the rushing water carried them off before anyone could help.
The police spokesperson in Abia, Maureen Chinaka, said the tragedy happened near an ongoing construction site where an uncovered ditch had filled with rainwater. She said the girl was passing the area when she reportedly hit a stone and fell in.
"Unfortunately, we have not been able to see them. The police are aware, and the matter has been reported," Chinaka said.
She said efforts were in place to rescue the pair. The man's identity had not been officially confirmed.
Search widens along the drains
Residents began searching the nearby drainage channels on Sunday night but found nothing, raising fears that the floodwater may have carried the two towards the Aba River.
On Monday, the Abia State Fire Service and other government officials joined the search, combing the drains around Ukwu Mango. Police officers were at the scene to control the crowd and keep order while rescue teams worked.
Families of both the man and the girl were still waiting for word on Monday. Vanguard reported that Chinaka had not responded to its request for an update at the time it filed its report.
Why this matters in Aba
Aba sits on flat ground, so heavy rain gathers quickly and moves fast through open gutters and drains. That makes the city prone to flooding in the rainy season, and anyone near an uncovered ditch during a downpour is at risk.
For residents, the tragedy is a reminder of how quickly ordinary streets can turn dangerous, and of the gaps in drainage around construction sites.
What happens next: The search of the drainage network is expected to continue. The police have confirmed the incident was reported, but no official update on the missing pair had been given as of Monday.
