Unspecified numbers of People are trapped in their houses and many have been displaced at the Trade Moore Area of Lugbe in Abuja due to hours of ceaseless rainfall on Friday morning.
Property worth millions were damaged and destroyed during the flood with residents scampering to safety.
In videos posted on social media, houses, vehicles, and other structures were submerged in the downpour, trapping some occupants inside and others outside.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed to reporters at the estate that a Peugeot 406 driver with a registration no. YLA 681 FS was drowned in the flood while four other persons were rescued.
Speaking with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) an official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) warned residents to vacate areas that are vulnerable to flooding to avoid loss of lives.
“If you know you are living in a house that is built on a waterway, in a flood-prone area that place is marchy, if it is vulnerable to flooding kindly move to a safer place, if for nothing to save lives.
“Properties can go, the word of God says that when you are alive there’s hope, you would be able to get another property. So the message today is this we have all seen what has happened, the water submerged vehicles and we were made to understand that the water can even cover persons.
“Don’t undermine, don’t underrate the power of water it can wash people, vehicles and houses away. So we are pleading because we don’t want to have any loss of lives or properties.”
Trademore estate has suffered devastating effects of flood over the years but residents heaved a sigh of relief during the 2022 rainy season when they were not affected.
A resident Samuel Omole said some cars were swept away by the flood.
He blamed the incident on the promoters of an estate in the area who channeled water towards their area.
Omole said: “It rained heavily this morning and before we knew it, houses were flooded. A man who came to buy drugs from the pharmacy here stayed inside his car for the rain to subside. The car later got submerged. But thank God the man got out of the car.
“I am trying to salvage my belongings. The flood was caused by an estate promoter who channeled its water towards our side. If something is not done quickly to address this, what has happened would be a tip of the iceberg.”.
Meanwhile, the agency revealed that four persons were rescued and in stable condition.
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