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Tag: flood

  • Flood: Adamawa victims call for urgent intervention

    Persons affected by recent flood disasters in Adamawa have appealed to the Federal Government to come to their aid to ease their hardship.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that between July and September this year, thousands of people were affected by the flood in 18 out of 21 local government areas of the state.

    Findings revealed that majority of the affected communities were those located close to River Benue.

    Majority of the victims are currently living as IDPs in temporary camps provided by state government across the state.

    In separate interviews with NAN in Fufore ,Yola South and Girei Local Government Areas, the victims said they lost almost all their belongings to the flood.

    Mr. John Garba ,a rice farmer from Njoboliyo village in Fufore said he lost all his property in early August this year due to heavy downpour that caused the flood.

    ” Following the heavy flood in August this year, I lost my house and three of my rice farmlands.

    ” Since then, I and my family have been squatting in my neighbours’ house and had not received any assistance from anybody,” he lamented.

    Alhaji Usman Barde, a large scale rice and maize farmer from Girei area , equally said that the flood had submerged his maize farms.

    ” Last year ,I harvested over five hundred bags of maize, but this year, due to the flood disaster , it will be difficult for me to harvest even one hundred bags ” Barde said.

    Read Also: Osinbajo visits Bayelsa, Rivers flood victims

    Also lamenting, Malam Umar Hassan , a resident of Yolde-Pate village in Yola South said that the flood completely destroyed his house.

    Hassan said he had been forced to take refuge in one of the temporary camp set up by State Emergency Management Agency in Yolde-Pate. and had not received any assistance from government.

    Reacting, Dr Muhammad Sulaiman, Executive Secretary of Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) said a total of 357, 343 individuals, 7,893 Houses and 95,474 farmlands were affected.

    He said that the State Emergency Management Agency had forwarded the information to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for possible intervention.

    When contacted about the development, Mr Slako Lugard, the NEMA Head of Emergency Operation Centres ( EOC) in charge of Adamawa ,Benue and Taraba said that they had carried out inspections and assessment of all the affected areas in Adamawa.

    ” We have submitted our findings to the headquarters and are waiting for their response to enable us reach out to the victims. ” Lugard said.

  • Photos: Flood takes over road in Warri

    A major road , Enerhen Junction, a nerve centre connecting Warri, Effurun and Udu has been taken over by flood.

    The flood was as a result of a downpour which only lasted few minutes on Thursday.

     

  • Flood: ‘17,631 people in need of relief materials in Niger’

    The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ), on Tuesday said that 17,631 residents of Niger affected by the recent flood were in urgent need of relief materials.

    Malam Idris Mohammed, Incident Commander in Charge of Emergency Operation Center (EOC) for Niger, Kwara and Kebbi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Minna.

    Mohammed explained that the team was deployed to put together a coordinated assessment of the three states and help guide the Federal Government provide support to the victims.

    He said that “131,432 persons are affected while 17, 631 are internally displaced and 17,154 people in various communities are affected.

    “The 17,631 affected persons are in need of relief materials such as foods and shelter.

    “Forty-nine persons lost their lives during the flood and 65 were injured while 2430 houses were affected and 27,632 hectares of farmlands was washed away.

    “Some of the victims are taking shelter in camps while majority of them are living with friends and relatives in other communities.

    Read Also: Control of blood sugar reduces diabetes – Expert

    “We are in the state to do needs assessment and send report to the federal government for relief intervention such as foods, medicals, household utensils and long term rehabilitation of affected persons.

    He said that the agency had been working with the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) to compile and coordinate assessment.
    Mohammed said that NEMA had started providing relief materials to the affected local government areas in collaboration with the state government,” he said.

    NAN reports that NEMA officials commenced moves to assist flood victims in Niger, following a directive from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during his recent visit to the IDP camp in Zungeru.

  • Flood kills father, son in Delta

    The Uwheru/Ohoror communities of Ughelli North local government area of Delta State, at the weekend, was thrown into mourning following the death of a father and son, who died mysteriously by the ravaging flood.

    The deceased whose names were given as Mr. Johnson Emegogoe, a motor-cycle mechanic and his second son, Mr. Benji Emegogoe were said to have gone for fishing when they met their untimely death.

    Narrating the incident to newsmen, one of the deceased cousins, Mr. Moses Young said the deceased had gone for fishing and until it was dark and until the following day before a search team was organized to look for them.

    Young said, “We cannot say what actually happened because none of us went with them, but a search party that went the following day only saw their dead bodies, but to ascertain how it happened we cannot.

    Read Also: My meeting in Abeokuta was not to endorse Atiku – Kukah

    “What we suspected was the canoe they may have used for the fishing capsized and there was nobody there to rescue them and they probably struggled and died and this was as a result of the over flow of water.

    “This tragedy is much for us. If the incident had happened at the day time, may be someone would have walked into them and they would have been saved but what we suspected was that the incident happened in the dark when all had left the farm, hence no one could rescue them.

  • Flood: Official calls for proper dredging of Rivers Niger, Benue

    Mr Ladein Omiebi, Chairman, Flood Management Committee, Patani Local Government Area, Delta State has called on the Federal Government to carry out a proper dredging of the River Niger to prevent recurring flood disasters.

    Omiebi made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Patani, Delta State.

    According to him, proper dredging of the Rivers Niger and Benue will increase the capacity of the rivers to accomodate more water hence, reducing the frequency of the river flooding.

    He said that members of communities also have critical roles to play by keeping the water channels free of waste and anything that would cause blockage of the water channels.

    “I will suggest the Federal Government should dredge the river Niger properly, that would take care of the waters from overflowing because this is just river flood.

    “That would be one of the major solutions to this recurring flooding that has caused great disasters and has led to massive displacements and deaths across several states in the country.

    “ On our parts, we have our way of assisting the government, we are not keeping to environmental laws and by improper ways of waste disposal, canals are being blocked.

    “By the time we abide by environmental laws some of these problems will not arise’’, Omiebi said.

    Omiebi also called on those living in flood prone areas to always heed to early warnings of  relocating to higher grounds to mitigate their losses and most importantly, avoid any case of death.

    He said that following the early warnings from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Local Government Council also engaged in sensitisation and resettled of members of Patani Community to higher grounds.

    The Chairman pointed out that although some people heeded to the warning and relocated, others have remained in their homes waiting for the worse to happen.

    Omiebi said that the Local Government was still engaging in vigorous enlightenment considering the health hazard and risk those in the communities are exposed to.

    He said that there have been reported cases of reptiles in some of the houses and malaria as a result of stagnant waters and broken sewages.

    He further explained that some people have remained in their homes for the fear of losing their property to vandals, which was the case after the 2012 flooding.

    Mrs Esther Edeghe, a retired Civil servant, also called on the government to do its best in preventing the reoccurrence of the flood.

    “Since this is river flooding, it can actually be mitigated if our rivers and oceans were constantly dredged.

    “Our rivers are not deep enough that is why when there is continuous rainfall, we suffer from serious flooding, especially we in the riverine communities.

    “The situation is critical as many of us lost property in 2012 and now we are losing more property again.

    “Even if we relocate to higher grounds, how many of our things can we pack? All we need is a permanent solution’’, Edeghe said.

    Edeghe also said that relief items should be extended to them that have remained in the communities explaining that she and her family have not relocated because the camp condition was not any better.

    She said that they that have remained in communities are also in need of food and non food items relief.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 10 out of the 20 LGAs in Delta state have been affected by the flood and 42,000 people currently displaced in the state. (NAN)

  • Flood: LG boss decries paucity of funds in Anambra IDPs

    Mr Arinze Awogu, the Chairman, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra, has decried the paucity of funds to attend to critical health and other needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in the area.

    Awogu made this known shortly after the death of a 60-year-old man, Mr Sunday Okenyi, in the early hours of Tuesday.

    He said that the health facilities in Ogbaru had been overstretched due to the large number of patients with various medical challenges occasioned by the flood.

    Read Also:Delta starts fumigation of IDPs camps

    According to him, Ogbaru is now in a state of health emergency.

    He said that the deceased, a native of Umuiyasele village, Atani in Ogbaru, died from high blood pressure.

    According to him, Okenyi’s bring the death toll from the flood disaster-related issues in Ogbaru to eight.

    Awogu said late Okenyi was reluctant to move to the IDPs camp but was forced to when the flood razed his house and washed away his property.

    “He was initially taken to Atani Health Centre on my directive and from there, he was moved to the IDP camp after receiving treatment for hypertension.

    “He died in the early hours of today after suffering from hypertension and his death brings the total number of death recorded since the flood situation in Ogbaru to eight,” he said.

    The chairman said that the deceased persons included, Mrs Adaobi Chima, who died after delivering a set of twins at a hospital in Okoti, Ogbaru.

  • Flood kills late music maestro Osadebe’s son in Anambra

    Okechukwu Osadebe, 18-year-old son of late highlife maestro, Chief Stephen Osadebe, has lost his life in a flood disaster in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that the younger Osadebe died on Thursday Sept. 27 in the Osadebe’s Atani country home in Ogbaru when he was swept away by the flood at about 7:30pm.

    NAN recalls that the death of Osadebe brings to four the number of lives so far lost to flood disaster in Anambra in the last one week.

    Mrs Amaechi Osadebe, mother of the deceased, told NAN in Atani on Friday that Okechulwu was returning home with two other persons when flash flood overwhelmed them.

    She explained that it was due to high current and turbulence of the water wave that made it difficult for the other two young boys to pull him out of the water.

    Mr Arinzechukwu Awogu, the Transition Chairman of Ogbaru, who visited the family, described the death as a tragedy to the whole Ogbaru community.

    Awogu said he came to commiserate with the family as it was very painful to loss a child at such tender age, regretting that the floods had brought unimaginable loss to the entire Local Government.

    He, however, called on the people of the area to take extra precautions to avoid further loss of life.

    “As we wait for the water to recede, my advice is that everybody, especially the underage, should be very careful when they go closer to the areas already submerged,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Flood kills girl in Anambra

    The flood disaster ravaging parts of Anambra has claimed the life of a nine-year-old girl, Benedict Uzo in Amiyi, Ogbaru council area of the state.

    Mr Arinze Awogu, Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the drowned while fetching water with a bucket.

    He said Benedict’s 11-year-old elder sister who tried to rescue her almost lost her life too but was quickly rescued by neighbours.

    “The flood situation in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State has continued to take a turn for the worst and Ogbaru has lost two persons since it started.

    “The latest casualty is a nine-year-old Miss Uzo Benedict Onyebuchukwu, a primary 3 pupil of Light International School, Okoti.

    “The father of the victim, Mr. Izuchukwu Uzo told me that his daughter was swept away by the flood as she attempted to fetch water with her bucket.”

    He said that the council would set up an emergency boss called for a proactive response team to effectively handle emergencies.

    The chairman urged people in flood prone areas to vacate their homes and move to safer areas or  the Internally Displaced Persons camps.

    “We need better equipped hospital to enable us manage this emergency.

    “It is a sad moment for us, we assure the family of our solidarity and support in this time of grief; I promise to inform His Excellency, Governor Willie Obiano about the loss.”(NAN)

  • Flood: Lagos residents seek government’s help

    Residents of Mafoluku, in Oshodi area of Lagos state are seeking the state government’s help over perennial flood in the area.

    The Nation gathered that the flood was caused lack of good drainage systems. It was also learnt that the flood has made it impossible for residence and passers-by to access the area.

    Mafoluku Community Development Association (CDA) Vice Chairman, who simply identified himself as Alhaji Jelenke, said that the council kept promising them that the problem would be resolved.

    “For over five years, we have been appealing to the council to give us good roads and drainage system to control the water but they continued promising that they will do it,” he said.

    According to him, the community has been trying to fill the potholes to make the road accessible.

    He added that residents had lost valuables to the perennial flood.

    A resident, Alhaji Gasali Olubiyo said the road has been in the bad state for a long time, noting that it has affected them in several ways.

    “Many people have left the area. There are over seven buildings on this street without tenants because of this problem. It is difficult for motorcycles and tricycles to come in and out of this street,” he said.

    He said: “We are pleading to the state and local government to come to our aid, make this road accessible and help evacuate the sand and debris in the drainage. We have a good drainage system already, I think the channels are okay, but we need government to help us link the water to the canal. It is not easy for us to walk on the street, because everywhere is littered and stinky. This could also make us prone to diseases like cholera and typhoid.”

    Another resident, Sherifat Sanusi said one of my granddaughters was infected with cholera.

  • District head weeps as flood submerges town

    Flood has continued to wreak untold havoc in many communities in Nigeria. Yesterday, the District Head of Auyo in Jigawa State, Alhaji Umar Baffa, broke down in tears over the devastation caused by flood in Auyo town and environs.

    Baffa, who holds the title of Sarkin Auyon Hadejia, said at his palace that the flood, caused by the overflow of Hadeja-Jamaare River, completely submerged the town and neighbouring communities.

    “Three of my people died and properties worth N3.5 billion were lost in the flooding that submerged the town and some villages in my domain.

    “For two days, water was overflowing from the Hadejia-Jama’are River to Auyo, and before we could do anything, the water submerged the town and the neighbouring villages.

    “The villages include Jura, Rafeji, Uza, Gamakwai, Zabaro and Ayama.

    “In the process, three people got missing and we immediately put up a search team and their bodies were later found.

    “Many houses, farmlands, animals and other properties were destroyed during the flooding.”

    A businessman, Alhaji Isa Auyo, who lost 10 trailer loads of fertilizer, said it was a devastating experience.

    “You can see the whole town is submerged; all the people have deserted the town and are now taking refuge in various Internally Displaced Person (IDPs) camps across the state.

    “I am really worried about the plight of the people and I appeal to the government, individuals and corporate organisations to rescue us from this catastrophe”.

    For some weeks now, many communities have been submerged, leaving some residents dead and many other victims devastated.

    However, barely three days after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited some of the victims of flood in Anambra and Delta states, some agencies and government officials have donated cash and relief materials to the victims.

    The victims in Anambra State got some relief materials at the weekend through the National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, while the Minister for Petroleum (State), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, visited and donated some relief materials to the Internally Displaced Persons affected by flooding in Delta State.

    However, a flood-ravaged community, Polobubo, in Warri North Council of Delta State, has lamented what it described as “the level of neglect the affected residents are currently facing,” and accused Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of failing to lead the vice president to the community to see the extent of damage in the community.

    Some of the materials NEMA sent to Anambra victims include 600 bags of rice, 300 bags of cement, 200 bags of Milo, 300 bags of beans, 1,000 cartons of Omo and 300 cartons of tin tomatoes .

    The Southeast Coordinator of the agency, Mr. Walson Ibarakuno-Barandon, handed over the materials to the Anambra State Executive Secretary of State Emergency Management Agency SEMA, Mr. Paul Odenigbo, yesterday in Awka, Anambra State.

    The Minister for Petroleum (State), Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who visited the Julius Berger Internally Displaced Persons in Asaba, Delta State, also made some donations.

    Items he donated included cash, amounting to N1 million, bags of rice and other food items.

    He said there is need for government to look into resettling the displaced persons. As he puts it: “The people are living in shanties. They obviously need to be resettled. The federal government will support them. We will look into resettling people,” he said, explaining that he was there “to see and understand the situation” and that the donation “is my personal contribution,” Kachikwu said.

    Chairman of the camp, Chief Samuel Obi, who received the items on behalf of the members, commended Kachikwu for the effort.

    Meanwhile, Polobubo, a flood-ravaged community, in Warri North Council of Delta State, has lamented the level of neglect the affected residents are currently facing.

    It expressed disappointment that those who should show genuine concerns have failed to do so.

    Although it expressed appreciation to the Delta State Government for giving its inhabitants N5million aid for relief materials, the community noted that the gesture would be nothing to ease the distress of over 30,000 persons.

    A statement by the National President of Polobubo (Tsekelewu) Group of Communities, Mr. Ebilate Mac-Yoroki, said: “We thank the Delta State Government for donating N5 million to buy relief materials for the flood devastated people of Polobubo (Tsekelewu).

    “This is a community of over 30,000 people with four government primary and two secondary schools. It also has several private schools, churches etc.

    “We are joint host communities to the Chevron Opuekeba platform, Tsekelewu oil fields and Shell Opuama flow station, where government accrue billions of dollars regularly. For 30,000 people to live on N5m is very pathetic. We also protest Governor Okowa’s refusal to allow the Vice President visit Polobubo community where oil is being produced to feed the nation,” they said.