Six members of the same family have been killed after a collapsed head tank brought down part of their home in Nenwenta community, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, following torrential rainfall and landslides in the area.
The victims were identified by residents as a man, his wife, their three children and their grandmother.
Only one child, a four-year-old, survived the disaster and was rescued from the rubble before being taken to hospital for treatment, The Nation reports on Monday.
The tragedy occurred on September 18, 2026, as heavy rainfall triggered landslides that cut off Nenwenta and neighbouring Ugwueme communities from other parts of Enugu State.
The isolation of the communities reportedly made it difficult for emergency responders and rescue personnel to reach the affected areas promptly.
The member representing Awgu South State Constituency in the Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Anthony Nwankwo, confirmed the incident on Monday while raising the matter under a motion of urgent public importance.
Nwankwo said the collapse of the head tank resulted in the deaths of six members of the same family, while the four-year-old child was the only survivor.
He expressed concern that some of the victims might have survived if emergency responders had been able to reach the community quickly.
The lawmaker called on the relevant authorities to urgently restore access to the affected communities, particularly the road linking Nenwenta and Ugwueme.
“I move that the House do write the relevant authorities to intervene to open the road leading to Ugwueme and Nenwenta,” Nwankwo said.
He appealed to the Enugu State Ministry of Works, the Enugu State Emergency Management Authority and the Ecological Fund to urgently intervene, reopen the road and prevent further loss of lives and property.
Other lawmakers who contributed to the motion expressed sympathy to the affected family and residents of the constituency while supporting immediate government intervention.
Lawmakers representing Ezeagu, Nkanu East and Oji River constituencies, Chima Obieze, Okey Mba and Osita Eze, described the incident as a natural disaster and cautioned residents against building close to hills or engaging in unsafe excavation of soil and stones.
They also urged the government to urgently reopen the affected road and provide relief materials to residents of Nenwenta and Ugwueme.
