Editor
By Fatima Saka
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has verified the demise of six individuals, with over 10 others enduring injuries as floods swept through six communities in the Madagali local government area of Adamawa State.
NEMA’s Head of Operations in Yola, Ayuba Ladan, confirmed the casualties while conducting an on-the-ground evaluation in the impacted communities.
Ladan identified the most severely affected areas by the floods as Kirchinga, Duhu, Maiwandu, Jahili, Kokohu, Lumadu, Zhau, Palam, Kwambula, Shiware, and Shuwa.
He explained that the catastrophic event impacted approximately 10,264 individuals across 1,711 households, the majority of whom are currently seeking refuge on elevated terrain within the local government area.
The evaluation revealed that the substantial volume of water resulting from intense rainfall in Shuwa overwhelmed the rivers surrounding the communities, leading to extensive flooding.
The water pressure caused the collapse of the Shuwa Bridge towards Gulak.
He confirmed that residences, stores, boreholes, and numerous valuables were completely decimated in the affected regions.
In collaboration with the Nigerian Red Cross, the local government authority has established around eight centers to accommodate the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
These centers are situated at Lumadu Primary School, Lumadu Health Care Centre, GSS Shuwa, Central Primary School Shuwa, Christian Secondary School Shuwa, Divine Mercy School Shuwa, Mayo-wandu, and Lumadu Model Health Care Centre.
Previously, the Deputy Governor of the state, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, expressed condolences to the impacted individuals and community leaders.
Farauta mentioned that the state government, through the State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA), had sanctioned relief provisions for the victims.
She assured that the government would address the concerns of the victims in order to provide them with further assistance.
Earlier, the District Head of Duhu, Mustafa Mohammad, and the chairman of the local government area, Mr. Simon Musa Shashi, both urged the federal and state governments to come to the aid of the victims, especially as concerns about potential disease o10utbreaks escalate in the region.
One of the affected individuals, Hauwa Bunker, a mother of nine children, lamented, “Our dwelling has been washed away, leaving only a plot of land,” and added, “We humbly accept God’s will without questioning His actions.”
