Four persons have been confirmed dead after a heavy fall of rain resulted in a flood incident that lasted for days in some parts of Bauchi State.
The State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the death on Wednesday.
Speaking on the flood incident in the state, the Director General of the agency, Mas’ud Aliyu, confirmed the number of fatalities in the state. He noted that individuals died after a flood caused several damages in the Hira, Giade, and Katagum Local Government Areas of Bauchi State. He elaborated the communities are the areas that have mostly been disturbed by t
He explained that the situation caused the federal government to send a delegation led by the Secretary to State Government, Commissioners of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Commissioner of Housing and Environment, Commissioner of Finance, and the Director General of SEMA to assess the extent of the damages caused by the incident.
He further noted that several crops have been damaged in the local governments affected. He explained that the disaster in Giade affected only households, and no individual was lost during the incident. He noted that household items, animals, and other things were destroyed during the incident.
The situation, according to his explanation, was the situation in Shirawas the most worrisome; he noted a total of three persons died in the local government, joining the loss of lives. Farmland and other properties worth millions were also destroyed.
He continued by stating that in the Katagum Local Government Area, one individual was lost, while a series of projects were destroyed by the heavy rains that lasted for hours. He explained that the individuals had lost their lives because several buildings had collapsed.
A bridge collapsed due to the incident, disrupting travellers’ movements. He noted that the incident took place in Katagum; some other roads that were affected include Bulkachuwa.
He also counted as part of the destruction caused by the flood a collapsed bridge, leaving travellers stranded, and another road from Azare to Jama’are. Likewise, there are two road collapses on the Azare to Giade, and another road from Shira to Azare is on the verge of collapse at any moment.
The SEMA DG went on to advise citizens who live in areas prone to flooding in the state.
The caretaker committee chairman of Katagum LGA, Musa Azare, has alleged that a community in Sabon Gari, on the outskirts of Azare town, has been taken over by flood; he noted that 35 communities across the local government have been affected by the flood disaster that has claimed lives.
The chairman appreciated the state for responding with the donation of food items to the victims of the incident. He noted that the local government authorities were still assessing the level of damages caused by the incident. He hinted that no household was left unaffected by the flood.
Speaking on their efforts, he confirmed that the governor, Bala Bala Mohammed, had approved the relocation of everyone to nearby government quarters, which they have done. He noted that the local government was working actively with the SEMA and National Emergency Management Agency authorities.
