Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Tragedy has struck in Awhum community of Udi LGA, Enugu State when rainstorm pulled down an ancestral tree known locally as “Ukwu Akpu Awhum, leaving 11 persons dead and others severely injured.
Residents said the incident happened during a heavy rainfall followed by strong winds that pulled off the tree and brought it crashing onto the busy road.
The tree reportedly landed on an 18-seater bus travelling towards 9th Mile.
A video making the rounds on social media showed lifeless bodies laid on the ground, while early responders wailed in anguish at the scene.
Witnesses said the sudden impact threw the vehicle off balance, causing it to somersault. The bus was badly damaged, with a number of passengers trapped inside.
“The rain was intense and the wind was very strong. We suddenly heard a loud noise. When we rushed out, we saw that a huge tree had fallen on a bus,” a resident said.
Another witness described the scene as distressing, adding that some passengers were screaming for help as people in the neighbourhood struggled in the rain to rescue those trapped.
Sources within the community said the accident involved the fully loaded bus and a Sienna car, heightening fears that the casualty figure could be high.
Community volunteers and members of local vigilance groups were among the first to respond.
Despite poor visibility and slippery conditions, they worked to pull victims from the wreckage and convey the injured to nearby hospitals.
Some residents also claimed the fallen tree holds spiritual significance in the community, though the immediate cause of the incident was linked to the severe weather.
