NO less than thirty-one persons were killed when a tree crashed on town hall building, during a rainstorm at the
Ukwu Uko market at Umuejinwaoke Umudagu village in Mbieri, located in the Mbaitolu Local Government Area of Imo State.
Reports say that 16 other people sustained varying degrees of injuries during the incident, which was caused by rainstorm on Thursday night.
According to eyewitnesses account, the tree crashed at about 8PM local time.
“The big tree fell suddenly on 31 people, who died at the spot and injured 16 others. Those injured were taken to hospital, said an unidentified eyewitness who spoke to news reporters.
“The victims include two sisters, who sell tomatoes. Honestly, this is a saddest event in the history of our community,” he said.
The traditional ruler of the community, Eze Godwin Duru, lamented that such a tragic incident had never occurred in the community.
“I do not know what to say. God, what can we call this?, My people were destroyed within a twinkle of an eye. what a pity,” he said.
Repeated attempts by sharpedgenews.com to reach local police authorities to confirm the incident were unsuccessful.