By Kolade Adeyemi, Jos and Justina Asishana – Minna
No fewer than 13 people have been reportedly killed in flood incidents that ravaged Niger and Plateau states during the week.
Seven of the fatalities were recorded in Niger State while six were recorded in Plateau State. Hundreds of people were displaced in the incidents. The incident in Niger occurred over the last four days following the downpour that failed to subside.
Seven local government areas in the state are currently experiencing the negative impact of the rainfall.
The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Mallam Ahmed Ibrahim Inga disclosed this to newsmen in Minna.
According to him, six people died in Magama Local Government Area while one person died in Rafi Local Government and several others have been rendered homeless as a result of the flood.
It would be recalled that NiMet had predicted four days of heavy rainfall in five states of the federation including Niger State.
“The state has started experiencing the negative impact of the flooding with houses, farmlands, bridges and some linked roads washed away in some LGAs located at up and downstream of the four dams.
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“These rendered many homeless and have affected the socio-economic activities of the communities. The local government areas include Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Kontagora, Gbako, Mashegu and Wushishi.”
He called on the people living in riverine areas to relocate to safer grounds that have already been identified, urging residents across the state to avoid dumping refuse in drainages and limit their activities around the river banks during this period to avoid being flooded.
In Plateau State, some members of the State House of Assembly whose communities were affected by the flood said at least six people were killed and hundreds displaced by the incident. They described the development as a matter of urgent public importance.
The Member representing Pankshin North, Philip Dasun, pointed out that the torrential rain which lasted several hours killed three people at Yelleng Community in his constituency and destroyed several houses.
His counterpart representing Jos North-North, Ibrahim Baba Hassan, disclosed that two people due to floods in his constituency and many others were hospitalised, adding that the flood also destroyed many properties.
According to him, the rain on Wednesday led to heavy floods and wreaked havoc in Rikoss, Gengere and some other parts of his constituency.
Also, the Member representing Langtang South Constituency, Sohchang Zingtim, also said one life was lost in his constituency on the 23rd of August as a result of the flood, regretting that the impact of the damage on his people was massive.
The Hon. Zingtim, therefore, called for emergency humanitarian assistance for the survivors and victims’ families.
The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Yakubu Sanda, sympathised with the victims and directed the issue to the House Committee on Environment to visit the affected communities to ascertain the level of destruction and report to the House immediately .