Building under construction collapses amid heavy rainfall in Asaba

By : Monday Osayande, Asaba

Date: 10 July 2025 6:10pm WAT

This photograph taken on August 5, 2023 shows houses flooded by the rising water of the river Krka, in the village of Velike Malence, south-east Slovenia. - Three people have died after flooding and landslides caused by heavy rains cut off access to villages and disrupted traffic in northeastern and central Slovenia as the country's environment agency issued the highest "red alert" warning due to the heavy rainfall. (Photo by Jure Makovec / AFP)

Panic gripped residents near the Asaba International Airport on Thursday after a two-storey hotel building under construction collapsed opposite the Asaba Airport Police Station, Okpanam, following days of persistent rainfall.

The structure, which was reportedly nearing completion, came crashing down while workers were moving to install the parapet after completing the second floor.

Eyewitnesses reported that several workers were trapped under the debris, sparking a frantic rescue effort by emergency responders and bystanders.

Although no deaths have been confirmed, several workers sustained injuries during the incident, with some leaping from the second floor into surrounding compounds in a desperate bid to escape.

Others were reportedly pulled from the rubble by rescue teams, who, as of Thursday afternoon, were seen breaking through the collapsed decking in search of survivors.

One of the workers, who gave his name simply as David, described the scene as chaotic. “Several workers were injured while jumping from the second floor of the building to escape from being trapped, while a few others managed to escape unhurt,” he said. “Some of those injured have been rushed to the hospital.”

David also revealed that many workers fled the site after the incident, fearing arrest, while some key individuals associated with the construction project had gone into hiding.

A security man who narrowly escaped tragedy said he had just left his room, located in the building, moments before the collapse due to the wet and cold conditions of his windowless accommodation.

“It was just by the grace of God I wasn’t inside when it happened,” he said.

Residents in the area disclosed that construction on the building had been ongoing nonstop despite the heavy rains, allegedly due to pressure from the building’s owner to speed up the project. Many believe the haste may have contributed to the collapse.

Attempts to reach the Delta State Commissioner for Urban Renewal, Michael Anoka, an engineer, for comment were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his phone went unanswered as of the time of filing this report.