VIDEO: Passersby rescue man swept away by floodwaters in Delta
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
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Outcome reported
- Passersby in Okpanam, Delta State, Nigeria, rescued an unidentified man from raging floodwaters following a heavy downpour.
- Viral videos captured the dramatic rescue, showing the group struggling to pull the man from a deep ditch while distressed residents watched and offered instructions.
- Eyewitnesses described the incident as a miracle, emphasizing how close the man came to drowning as the floodwaters carried him away.
A dramatic rescue unfolded in Okpanam, Delta State, Nigeria, where a group of quick-thinking passersby saved an unidentified man from being swept away by powerful floodwaters. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon after a torrential downpour inundated the area.
God save him o! God have mercy! What is holding him inside the water?
Viral videos shared online depicted the chaotic scene, with about five drenched men battling the strong currents to pull the individual from a deep ditch. Distressed residents could be heard screaming and shouting instructions, their prayers for the man's safety echoing in the background. One eyewitness recounted seeing only the victim's head above the churning water, highlighting the perilous situation.
From that side, I was seeing only his head! The water was carrying him away!
Follow-up footage showed the man, visibly exhausted, sitting on the roadside after being safely extricated from the drainage system. Those who witnessed the event and participated in the rescue assessed his condition. For some residents, the man's survival was nothing short of a spiritual intervention, given the swiftness and depth of the flood channels. "God is merciful, it's a miracle!" one woman exclaimed, noting how the water had carried him a significant distance before he was rescued.
God is merciful, it’s a miracle! The water carried him from the end of the road till he got here.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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