Flood kills 7, destroys 1,529 houses in Bauchi

No fewer than seven people have died in three local government areas of Bauchi State following a downpour that also destroyed about 1, 529 houses. The Chairman of Distribution Relief Committee of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Muhammadu Bello confirmed the incident to Daily Sun yesterday in Bauchi, saying that property worth over N100 million were destroyed by the flood.

Bello said: “Heavy rains were witnessed in the state, most especially the state capital in the past two weeks and initial assessment put the deaths recorded at seven persons including a seven-year-old girl in Bauchi, three women in Bogoro Local Government Area, and three deaths were also recorded in Shira Local Government Area.”
He disclosed that no fewer than 2, 217 farmlands were submerged due to the flood which injured 17 people, adding that there were over 100 displaced people in the camps at Adamami Primary Schools and filling stations.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency, (NIMET) had predicted heavy rainfalls this year in parts of the country including Bauchi State.
Bello said already some local government areas in the state witnessed downpour in late July and August as a result of which some communities were flooded.
The affected local government areas include Dambam, Kirfi, Alkaleri, Zaki, Bogoro, Toro, Jamaa’re, Shira, Itas/Gadau, Darazo, Ganjuwa, Dass and Bauchi.
He said the flooding affected mostly residential buildings and farmlands.
Following the flood in parts of the state, Governor Isa Yuguda has warned residents, who lived along waterways, to relocate to avoid further loss of lives and property.
“People should also ensure that they clear their gutters and drainages so that water can have easy passage. We should use the resources at our disposal to secure our lives and property, instead of waiting for disaster to strike before we take action,” the governor advised.
In the state capital, the flood cut off the road connecting many communities and the highway, causing damages, in mainly the popular Wuntin Dada and Yelwa-Wunti markets.
A resident, Alhaji Ayuba, who spoke to Daily Sun, said: “Heavy  rains have been common in the past few years in the  state, but I have never witnessed such downpour in my life. We had a sleepless night yesterday; you can see that all my property are destroyed. The mattresses and television sets.
“I had to move my family to my neighbour’s house, whose case is not as severe as mine.”
Meanwhile, in response to the situation, SEMA has provided relief materials to the victims within Bauchi metropolis and outskirts as well as the flood victims in Zaki and Adamami camps.

Culled from The Sun