The Executive Chairman, Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Sulieman Muhammad, says floods caused by heavy rainfall and the release of water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam have killed 24 people in the state.
According to Muhammad, the flood that rendered highways impassable to motorists and commuters affected many communities in the state, displacing over 130,000 people.
Speaking with The Punch on Wednesday, Muhammad said the state was facing food insecurity due to the loss of farm produce as flood waters ravaged the state’s 18 local government areas.
He said, “The report reaching me on the devastation wrought by flood waters as a result of recent flooding in the state, further worsened as result of the release of excess water from Lagdo Hydro Power Dam by authorities in the Republic of Cameroonian, so far is 25 deaths.
“Then, we have 58 persons that have sustained, different injuries, while 130,000 persons have been severely affected and displaced from their homes in 153 communities across 18 local government areas of the state.”
Muhammad claimed that the devastation caused by the floods would have far outweighed the current fatalities if the state government had not launched a timely public awareness campaign to encourage communities in flood-prone areas to relocate to higher ground.
He also accused council chairmen of diverting relief items, lamenting that relief materials released by the state government through his agency to alleviate victims’ suffering were being prevented from reaching flood survivors.
Arabo Shehu, a supervisor from the Adamawa State Ministry of Education, was among the passengers trapped by the flood in the Jambi Lamba area of the state.
“The Federal Government needs to act fast and salvage the situation because with more rains, this part of the road can be washed off anytime soon,” he said.
In another development, no fewer than 200 persons have been displaced in some parts of Pilgani District, Langtang North LGA of Plateau State, following several days of heavy downpour in the state.
This came barely one month after flood sacked over 13 communities in the same LGA and the neighbouring Lantang South LGA
A resident of Zamadede village, Nantip Mallam, while lamenting over the destruction caused by the flood, said, “everything we have in our house has been destroyed.”
According to him, over 200 persons are currently displaced following the unfortunate incident.
Contacted, the Executive Chairman, Langtang North LGA, Barrister Rimven Zulfa, said after the reports of the flooding in the communities were received, the necessary agencies were contacted to bring succour to the affected victims.
“We are still appealing to people living in flood-prone areas to please leave, as the danger of flooding is not yet over,” he said.
