At least one person has died after a portion of a bridge in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital was washed away on Monday evening following a heavy rainfall which lasted for hours.

According to reports, a portion of the Ureje Bridge, which linked Ado Ekiti to the Federal Polytechnic and Afe Babalola University, caved in owing to the flooding.

WuzupNigeria reports that the flood swept away four persons but three of them were fortunate to be rescued by a Hausa man.

Quoting a resident of the area, Mr Sunday Akomolafe, The Punch reported that “the victim and three women were coming to Ado Ekiti from a journey and wanted to navigate the water only for them to be overwhelmed by flood.

“Three of them were rescued and taken to hospital, but the man was not all that lucky, he drowned in water and his corpse was recovered around 8am this morning.”

Vehicular and human movements were hindered till the early hours of Tuesday as people awaited the water which rose beyond the bridge to reduce.

Commuters to ABUAD, Federal Polytechnic, Ikare Akoko in Ondo State and those coming into the state capital had to park their vehicles and wait for several hours before the water subsided for them to trek through.

Other parts of the Ado Ekiti metropolis that were reportedly badly hit by flooding included Eminrin, Omisanjana, Egbewa and Olorunsogo.

Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, who visited the Ureje Bridge, appealed for calm, saying the state government would ensure that the bridge was put back to a proper shape.

The Special Adviser on Road Transport and Infrastructure to Governor Kayode Fayemi, Sunday Adunmo, said the disconnected section of the bridge would be reconnected within the next few hours.

Adunmo said,

“We are embarking on palliative works till dry season when the road will be awarded. What we need here is a new bridge that can accommodate more water. 60×60 bridge is no longer fashionable. We are piling stones and granites on the collapsed lane.

“We are going to open one lane for commuters and motorists to use pending the time the palliative measures will end so that we will put the second lane back. It is going to be for light vehicles because we are going to mount restriction”.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, confirmed the death, saying, “Yes, I can confirm to you that one man died after he was drowned in water. His corpse had been removed and taken to the mortuary”.