Flooding caused by heavy rainfall at Ring Road, Agu Awka, Anambra State, has left one person missing after emergency responders rescued six children from the area.
Officials of the Awka South Local Government Area said the situation had been brought under control, while the National Emergency Management Agency and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency coordinated the rescue and response operations.
The rescuers took the six children to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka, for medical attention. Efforts are ongoing to locate the missing person.
The flooding occurred around Ring Road, Awka, earlier on Tuesday, with videos showing floodwaters overwhelming parts of the area and disrupting movement.
In one of the videos, students were seen trapped in a school bus, while a woman appeared to cling to a tree after being swept into a flooded area.
Emergency responders moved into the area to assess the situation and prevent further loss of life. Officials said the search for the missing person was still ongoing.
The incident occurred amid a fresh high-flood-risk advisory issued by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, covering September 19 to 25.
The advisory listed Anambra among 15 states vulnerable to riverine flooding and identified Awka South, Awka North, Anambra East, Anambra West, Ogbaru, Aguata, Anaocha and Ayamelum as vulnerable areas in the state.
With the immediate rescue operation in Awka brought under control, NEMA and SEMA officials said Ogbaru Local Government Area would be the focus of further assessments.
The agencies will assess the impact of the continued rainfall and flooding and determine whether other communities require urgent intervention.
NEMA had earlier urged residents of Anambra, particularly those living in riverine and flood-prone communities, to remain vigilant and prepare to move to safer, higher ground as water levels rise.