20 killed, 37 injured, property worth N1bn lost in Bauchi flood

Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has disclosed that deaths recorded so far as a result of floods in parts of the state had increased to 20 while 37 persons sustained varying degrees of injuries with property worth N1 billion lost.

Giving an update on flood situation in the state while briefing journalists yesterday, the Coordinator, Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr. Abubakar Umar Gabarin, said that more deaths were recorded, adding that all the 20 local government areas of the state were affected by floods so far.

Gabarin, who said that the agency was still collating reports on flooding in parts of the state, noting that while 6,000 farmlands were submerged, 47 culverts were washed away with 27 bridges collapsed.

According to him, “We are still collating number of casualties. However, we have recorded additional figures of death: we recorded additional three in Gamawa, we have two in Darazo and two in Duguri. Flood brought three dead bodies in Jama’are.

“We recorded 37 people injured. Forty-seven culverts were washed away by the flood, while 27 bridges collapsed, 6,000 farmlands submerged with over 2,000 families affected and over one billion naira property lost.”

The SEMA coordinator further said that the state Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, had set up a high powered committee headed by the state deputy governor, Senator Baba Tela, to go round the affected areas with a view to assessing and bringing a comprehensive report on the damages caused by floods in communities.

Gabarin said setting up of the committee followed the governor’s visits to affected areas across the state, adding that the Senator Tela-led committee was expected to recommend to the state government how to assist victims.

He revealed that Governor Mohammed had sent two trucks load of maize and rice respectively, to Kirfi Local Government Area, adding that 100 bags of rice and 100 bags of maize were sent to Giade by the governor to ameliorate the suffering of flood victims in the areas.

According to Gabarin, flood victims in Bauchi Local Government Area were given food items; blankets; cups and plates as part of efforts to assist them.

He added that the state government was making efforts to distribute emergency assistance to all affected communities in the state based on their needs, saying that as the agency was assessing the situations, it was also receiving assistance from the government.

The SEMA Coordinator, however, expressed gratitude to the United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF); National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the presidential committee on floods for coming to the state to assess the situation of the victims.

He then appealed to donor agencies and philanthropists to complement government efforts by assisting victims.

Meanwhile, officials of the agency told journalists that ravaging floods wrecked havoc on all the federal highways in the state, including Bauchi-Gombe Road; Kano-Ningi Road; Bauchi-Maiduguri federal highways, among others.

They added that as a result of damages caused by floods, commuters plying the roads are being forced to wait for several hours before they can continue with their journeys.

(Adapted from THISDAY)