At least 25 people have been reportedly killed, with 130,200 people displaced in Adamawa and Plateau States as a result of the flood caused by the release of excess water from Lagdo Hydro Power Dam by authorities in the Republic of Cameroon.
According to The PUNCH, this was disclosed by the Executive Chairman, Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Sulieman Muhamma.
He further disclosed that the flood has rendered many roads inaccessible, displacing over 130,000 persons from their homes.
According to him, the flood has caused a huge threat to food insecurity because of the loss of farm produce as flood waters ravaged 18 local government areas in the state.
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 said the impact of the devastation wrought by the floods would have exceeded the current fatality had it not been for timely sensitisation embarked upon by the state government to get communities lying flood prone plains to move to higher grounds.
He also accused council chairmen of diverting relief items, lamenting that relief materials released by the state government through his agency to mitigate the suffering of victims were being hindered from reaching survivors displaced by floods.
A supervisor from the Adamawa State Ministry of Education, Arabo Shehu, who was out to monitor schools resumption was among passengers trapped by the flood at 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
