Tragedy in Rivers: Teenage Brothers Drown While Rescuing Flood Victim in Obio/Akpor

Two teenage brothers, Miracle and Emma Peters, have drowned after being swept away by heavy floodwaters in the Eligbolo community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State.

The tragic incident occurred on Sunday after a torrential downpour that submerged parts of the area. Witnesses said the brothers, aged 16 and 17, had rushed out to help a neighbour trapped in the flood. They successfully pulled the person to safety but were later caught by the strong current while trying to retrieve a fallen slipper.

Their mother, Onyinyechi Peters, recounted the heartbreaking incident to journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday.

“I came back and asked where my children were. A neighbour told me they had gone to help someone. After helping the person cross, my son’s slippers slipped off. They tried to pick it despite warnings, but the flood carried both of them away,” she said tearfully.

She added that other residents who witnessed the incident thought the boys were “playing in the water” until it was too late.

“They were shouting for help,” she continued. “One man said he heard the noise from inside his room but couldn’t come out to help.”

Local residents have since called on the Rivers State Government to urgently address the recurring flooding problem in Obio/Akpor, which has claimed multiple lives over the years.

The bodies of Miracle and Emma were later recovered downstream.