Death toll hits 30, victims sleep on streets, NEMA opens nine IDP camps, Bayelsa flooded after downpour

BORNO- At least 414,000 people have been displaced and another 30 killed by the devastating flood in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Tuesday.

National Emergency Management Agency said the flood began after the Alau Dam overflowed following heavy rains leading to the town’s worst flooding in 30 years, according to the United Nations Human Rights Refugee Council and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council residents.

NEMA spokesman Manzo Ezekiel told The PUNCH on Wednesday that the death toll had hit 30 and displaced persons close to half a million.

“It’s 30 people that have been recorded dead so far, around 414,000 people were displaced and are in nine IDP camps across the state,” Manzo said.

According to NEMA, more than 23,000 households have been hit by the rapid rise of waters following the weekend rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, 20km south of Maiduguri.

Reports indicate the water had receded as of Wednesday after 70 per cent of Maiduguri was submerged by the fast-moving waters, according to NEMA, which ravaged major city locations, including the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Umar Ibn Garbai El-Kanemi; the state secretariat, post office, cemetery, and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

The flood also washed away 80 per cent of animals at the Sanda Kyarimi Park zoo, and damaged houses, schools, as well as commercial and worship centres.

FG intervenes

President Bola Tinubu expressed deep concerns over the flooding and tasked relevant government agencies to expedite rescue efforts while Vice President Kashim Shettima arrived in the Borno capital Tuesday to conduct an on-the-ground assessment of the devastating floods.

Tinubu also called for the immediate evacuation of residents in communities overtaken by floods.

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, told journalists that a preliminary assessment conducted by the government showed that more than a third of Maiduguri was flooded, which affected an estimated one million people following the heavy flooding.

“The floods covered one-third of the city, affecting over one million people. It is very devastating,” Zulum said while distributing cash and food to thousands of displaced persons at a camp.

Zulu added that the Federal Government allocated N3bn for rehabilitation of the victims, adding that the funds would be used to provide food and other essential supplies, as well as support long-term strategies, including health monitoring to prevent disease outbreaks.

The governor also announced that cash distributions of N10,000 per household have been made to flood victims.

In addition, the state government organised search and rescue operations to assess casualties and gather data on those affected.

“We are distributing money and food to head of each of the families as a temporary measure to cushion the impact,” he said.

Luckily for us, we just received N3bn flood intervention fund from the Federal Government. So, we are using part of this fund to provide immediate support to the communities affected by the flood.

“We have separated them into different camps and already providing support. We will come up with long-term and short-term measures as soon as we take the data of the people affected.”