JUST IN: FOUR DEAD IN BAUCHI FLOODS

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The Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency has verified four deaths as floods continue to ravage certain towns in the state.

The agency’s Director General, Mas’ud Aliyu, verified this on Tuesday.

He explained that the four deaths occurred in flood-ravaged areas in Bauchi’s Shira, Giade, and Katagum Local Government Areas.

“Giade, Katagum, and Shira Local Governments are the LGs most affected by the flood.

“This has led to the state government sending a delegation under the leadership of the Secretary to the State Government, along with the Commissioners of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Housing and Environment, and Finance, as well as the Director General of SEMA, to assess the affected areas.”

The DG added that in the three local governments, large farmlands have been submerged by the flood.

“The flood has destroyed many people’s houses. In Giade, there has been no loss of life, but farms, animals, and other domestic assets have been affected.

“In Shira, farms have been lost, houses destroyed, and three lives lost. In Katagum Local Government, farmlands, houses, and one life have been lost,” he continued.

He also mentioned the destruction caused by the flood, including a damaged bridge that has left travelers stranded.

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Mas’ud said, “In Katagum, a road has been cut off on the way to Bulkachuwa, and another road from Azare to Jama’are. Similarly, two roads have collapsed: one from Azare to Giade and another from Shira to Azare, which may be cut off at any moment.”

He reiterated that thousands of hectares of farmland have been submerged by the flood.

The SEMA Director urged residents of the state living in waterways to vacate their houses, as there are more threats of flooding in many areas.

“All those in waterways and areas with a history of flooding should do themselves a favour and vacate their houses,” the DG emphasised.

It was gathered from the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Katagum Local Government Area, Musa Azare, that a community, Sabon Gari, on the outskirts of Azare town, was completely submerged by the floods.

He stated that the floods had affected thirty-five communities across the local government.
The Chairman also acknowledged the state government’s provision of food and other household necessities to the afflicted communities.

“The villages have been completely submerged. There is not a single household that has not been affected.
“We evacuated everyone from the village to nearby government quarters, with the approval of Governor Bala Mohammed.

“We are still assessing the damage done by the floods and are working with the State and National Emergency Management Agencies,” Azare added.

The Caretaker Chairmen of Shira and Giade Local Government Areas also spoke out about the flood’s devastation.

They decried how the storm had flooded entire neighbourhoods, causing displaced people to seek temporary shelter in shelters.

In the similar vein, Ibrahim Kashim, Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, advised the victims to accept the circumstance as part of their fate.

Kashim instructed them to follow the Nigeria Meteorological Agency’s warning about flood alerts.