Four members of a family have reportedly lost their lives after a landslide caused an elevated water tank to collapse onto their home in Nenwenta community, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The tragic incident occurred over the weekend following heavy rainfall, which triggered a landslide and reportedly weakened the base supporting the water tank.
The collapse completely flattened the building, trapping members of the family beneath the rubble.
The deceased were identified as a man, his wife, his elderly mother and one of their children.
However, a four-year-old child was rescued alive from the debris by emergency workers.
The incident was confirmed by the Enugu State House of Assembly during a sitting on Tuesday.
Raising a motion of urgent public importance, the lawmaker representing Awgu South State Constituency, Anthony Nwankwo, described the incident as a devastating tragedy.
Nwankwo said rescue efforts were hampered by the poor condition of the road linking the affected communities, noting that the victims might have been rescued if emergency responders had easier access to the area.
He appealed to the relevant authorities to urgently restore access to Ugwueme and Nenwenta communities, which have reportedly been cut off by the landslide.
Other lawmakers expressed sympathy with the affected community and described the incident as a natural disaster.
They also urged residents to avoid constructing buildings close to hills or engaging in activities such as indiscriminate excavation of soil and rocks, which they said could increase the risk of landslides.
The lawmakers called on the Enugu State Ministry of Works, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ESMA) and the Ecological Fund Office to intervene urgently and restore the damaged road.
They also appealed for immediate measures to improve access to the affected communities and prevent further loss of lives.
