The incident, it was gathered, occurred at about 7:30 pm when the market popularly called ’night market’ was in full swing.
A downpour which was accompanied by storm uprooted the tree which fell in the direction of the victims.
The tree, which was said to had been in existence in the community for more than 100 years, had outlived the community while no elderly person could say when it started growing.
The tree for decades had served as a spot where both the youth and adults gather to socialise and also a drinking joint for many especially on market days.
The tragic incident has however thrown the entire community and the neighbourhood into mourning as people continued to throng the area while many were seen wailing and mourning the dead.
The Imo State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, and other top government officials, who visited the scene, expressed shock over the incident.
About 20 survivors who sustained various degrees of injuries had been taken taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri , for medical attention.
The Imo state Police command Public Relations Officers (PPRO), Mrs Joy Ekemoke, when contacted, said the command had sent some of their men to the scene, adding that she had not received any detailed information about the incident as of press time.
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