Tragedy struck in Rivers State as two teenage brothers drowned while trying to rescue a trapped resident.
The boys, Miracle and Emma Peters, were swept away by floodwaters in the Eligbolo community.
Two teenage brothers have reportedly drowned during a heavy flood in the Eligbolo community of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The victims, identified as 16-year-old Miracle Peters and 17-year-old Emma Peters, were swept away by floodwaters on Sunday, October 12, 2025, while trying to rescue a resident trapped in the raging water.
Witnesses said the boys managed to save the individual, but tragedy struck on their way back. Emma’s footwear reportedly slipped off, and as the brothers tried to retrieve it, a strong current overpowered them and carried both away.
Their mother, Mrs. Onyinyechi Peter, narrated the heartbreaking incident to journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday. She said she returned home to discover that her sons had gone out to assist someone calling for help nearby.
“When I came back, I asked about them, and my neighbor said someone had asked them to come and help,” she recalled. “They helped the person cross into their house. But as they were coming back, one of my son’s slippers fell off, and he tried to pick it. People were shouting at them to leave it, but they insisted on retrieving it. That was when the water carried the two of them away.”
She said another boy who had accompanied them returned to inform his mother about what happened. “The woman said she saw my sons in the flood but thought they were playing. She didn’t realize they were in danger,” Onyinyechi said tearfully.
She added that nearby residents heard their cries for help but were unable to respond in time. “One man said he was inside when he heard the noise, but by the time he came out, it was already too late,” she said, struggling to hold back tears.
