The vessel, with 85 folks on board, capsized amid heavy flooding, trapping the passengers, Thickman Tanimu, zonal coordinator for the Nationwide Emergency Administration Company, informed Reuters.
Anambra state Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo mentioned in an announcement that 10 folks had drowned. The top of Anambra State Emergency Administration Company mentioned 15 folks had been rescued as of Saturday night.
The incident occurred between 11 a.m. (1000 GMT) and midday on Friday, the company mentioned.
Space resident and former native authorities chief Afam Ogene mentioned the boat’s engine failed and it was overpowered by waves shortly after it launched.
“It’s a regionally made boat that may take greater than hundred folks, sadly its engine failed and there was a stampede,” Ogene mentioned.
Tanimu mentioned a navy catastrophe response unit from the Nigerian military was helping the search effort.
Anambra is among the many 29 of Nigeria’s 36 states to have skilled heavy flooding this 12 months. The waters have washed away houses, crops and roads and impacted a minimum of half one million folks.
Ogene mentioned flooding had destroyed the main highway linking the eight communities to the remainder of the Ogbaru native authorities space, forcing residents to journey by boat.
Farmers say the rising waters will push meals payments larger in a nation the place thousands and thousands have fallen into meals poverty up to now two years.