Tragedy As 300 Years Old Tree Kills 31, Injures 16

A huge tree believed to be over 300 years old on Thursday evening fell at Umudagu Ihitte Mbieri in Mbaitoli local government area of Imo State and killed 16 people and injured four others.
The tragedy which occurred at the community’s daily market, eyewitnesses said, was caused by a heavy downpour accompanied by a windstorm.

The sources revealed that the tree fell about 07.46pm when activities peaked at the mini market. The tree provides shelter for traders and buyers in the market.
 The remains of the dead, mainly women, were deposited at the Aladimma Hospital and Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, morgues while the injured were rushed to the FMC for medical attention.
Also, the fallen tree known as Uko, believed to belong to the community’s deity, damaged part of the Umudagu Community Hall
Among the 16 dead were a commercial motorcyclist (name withheld), his pregnant wife, the unborn baby and their 4-year-old son.
The commercial motorcyclist, it was learnt, had gone to the market to assist his wife in packing her wares because of the rain when the ill-fated tree fell on them.
When our correspondent visited the scene of the incident, relatives of the victims, villagers and sympathisers had thronged the area wailing, even as rescue operations by men of the Imo State Emergency Management Agency (ISEMA) led by the executive secretary, Mrs Uche Ezeonyeasi  went on.
Narrating her ordeal, the first victim to be rescued, Miss Ukamaka Mkpadi, 18, told LEADERSHIP WEEKEND that she had come to buy food items when the tree fell and a branch trapped her right hand.
 Another survivor, Mrs Callista Ogbonna, 36, said that she came to pick some items when the tragedy struck and thanked God that she receiveed only a minor crack on her back.
The president, Umudagu Mbieri Youths Association, Onyekachi Ehirim, declined comment on the incident while the traditional ruler of the community, Eze G.C. Duru, was not available for comments.
President-general of the community Mr Maurice Anyanwu, described the incident as unfortunate.
The special adviser to the governor on media, Mr Ebere Uzoukwa, also described the incident as tragic, pointing out that the state government had mobilised the rescue agencies to the scene.