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Tag: Flood

  • Flood: NIWA Provides, Ferry Services, Life Jackets, For Abuja-Bound Passengers In Kogi

    Flood: NIWA Provides, Ferry Services, Life Jackets, For Abuja-Bound Passengers In Kogi

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Inland Waterways NIWA, Dr George Moghalu, has directed the Area Manager of the Lokoja Area Office to quickly release boats to provide services for stranded Abuja bound travellers in Lokoja and Koton Karfe of Kogi State to ease their suffering.

    In a press release signed by the General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Jibrin Dardau, and made available to Journalists in Lokoja, disclosed that the flood this year has flooded major roads in Ajaokuta, Lokoja and Koton Karfe Local Government Areas of Kogi State.

    He said it was in this regard that NIWA in conjunction with the Boat Owners Association has been providing succour to these victims in compliance with the safety guidelines of wearing life jackets, avoiding overloading, speeding and night sailing.

    “According to NIWA gauge readers in Lokoja, confirmed that the 2012 flood level was 12.84 meters whereas that of this year is reading 13.22 meters, hence, the 2022 flood level has surpassed that of 2012 by 0.38 meters”, the authority confirmed.

  • Flood: Kogi Law Makers Joins League Of IDP camps, Quarters Submerged

    Flood: Kogi Law Makers Joins League Of IDP camps, Quarters Submerged

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The Kogi State House of Assembly Quarters along Ganaja road was on Tuesday night submerged by the ravaging flood sacking many  members.

    It was reliably gathered that some members of the state House of Assembly relocated to an undisclosed IDP within Lokoja metropolis.

    The unrelenting water level which has been on the increase on daily basis since its arrival, sacking more house holds along the river Benue and Niger has increased the hard economic situation of the people in the state.

    It was confirmed that both the principal Officers and other members’ Houses within the quarters have been taken over by the flood forcing them out in the night.

    Some of the members who didn’t want their names mentioned were not happy that the Governor did not visit their quarters for an on the spot assessment like he visited old market and other areas within Lokoja.

    “The Commissioner of Environment, Hon. Victor Omofaiye who was once their colleague did not also bother about their plight to see what the members are currently facing since the arrival of the no-respect September visitor”. they added.

    Other areas visited like Ganaja village, Gadumo, Adankolo, Old market, Kabawa and the new market still the same as the water level keep increasing and not showing any sign of subsiding.

  • Flood: Three Feared Dead As Flood Displaces Over 50, 000 People In Ibaji

    Flood: Three Feared Dead As Flood Displaces Over 50, 000 People In Ibaji

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    The lawmaker representing Ibaji Constituency, Hon. Atule Egbunu  on Wednesday confirmed that three people died as flood ravaged the local areas.

    According to Hon. Egbunu, thousands of Houses and farmlands have been submerged by the disaster which he described as an “unfortunate annual disaster.”

    He also described the disaster as devastating, saying relocating the victims to a safer place like Idah is currently difficult and beyond the capability of the victims.

    The Lawmaker noted that the people are currently not having what it takes to address the damages caused by the disaster, appealing to the State, Federal Governments and International Community to come to their aid.

    Egbunu therefore called on the State Government to urgently come to the aid of the people of Ibaji especially the victims of the Flood.

  • A Devastating Flood Submerges Houses, Roads, Hotels, Churches In Kogi

    A Devastating Flood Submerges Houses, Roads, Hotels, Churches In Kogi

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    A Devastating Flood which look like a recantation of the 2012 flood has again rendered thousands homeless as houses were submerges and major roads leading to the eastern flank of the country has been taken over by flood.

    On Sunday it was discovered that one of the major road, old market road and Ganaja-Ajaokuta road have been submerged by River Niger.

    Initially, trucks and Hilux vans were the only vehicles that were taking the risks of manoeuvring through the submerged roads but the story has changed over the night as no vehicular movement noticed today ( Monday) except through the 500 housing units.

    Many passengers were stranded while those who could not wait had no option than to join canoe to cross to the other side of the road and then took commercial motorcycles to the motor park in continuation of their journey.

    At Adakolo Estate and Adankolo Extension, many houses have been deserted by owners as they have moved to safer place.

    Some residents who spoke with our correspondent lamented that they don’t have any place to relocate to as they still manage to sleep in their flooded houses while others relocated back to the village untill  situation improves.

    Meanwhile, the Managing Director Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC), Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, has appealed to Kogi State government to upscale its awareness and enlightenment campaigns to riverine communities to educate them in strategies to avert or minimise effects of floods.

    Managing Director of the Commission, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa, who made the call at the flag-off of distribution of relief materials to flood victims over the weekend in Koton-Karfe said the people needed technical information on the menace.

    Yelwa said perennial flooding of the riverine communities with the attendant loss of means if livelihood was assuming an alarming proportion.

    He said that since communities were not needing warnings like, “Don’t build on water channels or flood planes, avoid blockage of drainages that can aggravate the effect of flood, the best option would be to avail them technical information on this to avert or minimise the natural disaster.”

    Represented by Alhaji Jimoh Haruna Gabi, Director, Finance and Administration in the Commission, the Managing Director said, “This advice became necessary because of the frequency of this flood in our communities.

    “Today, we have brought in here relief materials that represent a widow’s mite of the commission. It is not as if we can really feed everybody but we have shown kind gesture to everybody.”

    The Managing Director, however, expressed appreciation to Governor Yahaya Bello for always being there for the Commission adding that in all the programmes of HYPPADEC the governor “has never failed us.”

    At the Koton-Karfe Centre, 51 household victims from Kogi Local Government Area, Bassa and Lokoja Local Government Areas out of the 113 victims from the 10 affected the three councils received palliatives.

    The relief materials include mattresses, rice, millet, beans, noodles, detergents as well as a medical outreach to address diseases and ailments arising from the effects of the flood which has consistently devastated the communities in the last two weeks. 

  • Flood: Taraba Residents bags for State and Federal Govt, Assistance

    Flood: Taraba Residents bags for State and Federal Govt, Assistance

    By Hassan Ishaku,​ Jalingo.

    Following the recent​ heavy downpour that ravaged over 10, 000 communities in Ibi local government councils of Taraba State, residents of Ibi on Sunday​ appealed to the state and federal​ government as well as spirited individuals to as a matter of urgency come to their aid.

    Some residents who spoke with Daybreak news in Ibi LGA of Taraba state, cried out for their losts Which include their houses, businesses, property, farms and animals​ to the flood disaster.

    Hajiya Mainunat Angwa A Resident of Angwan Sarki in Ib LGA, while speaking with our Correspondent lamented that the natural disaster has brought untold hardship to them.

    She​ maintained that they have lost property worth millions of naira to the​ flooding​ incident.

    She said that many of theose affected are at moment homeless.

     Hajiya Mainunat Angwa stressed​ that they are forced​ to take refuge in IDP camps and relations’ apartments.

    She called on the Taraba state emergency management agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assist them in rebuilding their homes and provide relief materials to cushion their hardships.

    “We are calling on the government to come to our aid. We have lost everything including our farms,” she cried out.

  • Peter Obi Commiserates with Jigawa Flood Victims

    Peter Obi Commiserates with Jigawa Flood Victims

    the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has commiserated with residents of Jigawa over the impact of flooding in communities across the state.

    Close to 100 deaths have been recorded in 2022 in the state, including 51 fatalities confirmed in August by the Jigawa state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

    In a series of tweets on Wednesday, Obi said governments at all levels need to step up efforts on providing the necessary support for persons affected by flooding.

    “News reports of the ravaging floods wreaking havoc in different communities in Jigawa State, are not only disturbing but alarming. It is profoundly disturbing to learn that nearly 100 lives have been lost and 100,000 Nigerians displaced from their homes due to the flooding,” the tweet reads.

    “My heart goes out to the Government of Jigawa State, the affected communities, the bereaved and displaced families, in these challenging times.

    “I urge the Federal and State governments to come to the aid of the victims of the flooding, even in other parts of the nation, and help them sail through the turbulent times. I also call on the relevant authorities to intensify efforts to mitigate [losses] and casualties resulting from natural disasters.

    “These unprecedented flooding are linked to climate change, which is real. We can expect more of such disasters, and as such, we must plan contingency measures aimed at greater resiliency in times of natural disasters.”

  • Sokoto Govt Approve N2.5b On Infrastructure, Plans Remediation Of Flood Devastated Roads

    Sokoto Govt Approve N2.5b On Infrastructure, Plans Remediation Of Flood Devastated Roads

    By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto 

    Sokoto state government has approved the award of contracts as well as variations of some and the purchase of drilling equipment to the tune of N5.6 billon.

    The release by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Governor Bello Muhammad further said a breakdown of the sum indicates that over N4.5 billion will be spent on roads and bridges affected by flood about two year ago while N520 million would be spent on the augmentation of urban infrastructures’ projects. In the same breath, the sum of N467 million will be spent on the procurement of drilling materials. Equally, an additional N325 million has been earmarked for the variation of two rural infrastructures’ contracts. 

    These were the outcomes of the state executive council meeting presided over by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on Tuesday, at which the council also deliberated on the field surveys currently being undertaken by experts in Goronyo and Kebbe local government areas where flood washed away roads and bridges with a view to awarding contracts for their reconstruction soonest.

    The roads are: 66.8 kilometers Kagara-Goronyo,; and, 32 kilometers Kebbe-Tambuwal, in Goronyo and Kebbe local government areas respectively.

    According to the state commissioner of rural development, Alhaji Isah Bajini Galadanchi, the sum of N1.3 billion would be spent on the construction of Romon Sarki-Gawon Gulbi road and bridge washed away by flood in Tambuwal local government area.

    An additional N3.5 billion was approved for the reconstruction of Binji-Silame-Gande road; and Wurno- Huchi road, all of which had bridges washed away by flood. 

    Furthermore, the council also approved the provision of streetlights at the sites of the ongoing two flyovers being constructed by the state government at Runjin Sambo and Rijiyar Dorowa, within Sokoto metropolis, at the cost of over N109 million each. More streetlights proposed for the completed intra-city Waziri Abbas and Maituta roads will gulp N222 million and N80 million

  • Sokoto SEMA Jointly Assess Flood Affected Areas In the State

    Sokoto SEMA Jointly Assess Flood Affected Areas In the State

    By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto

    There was a report of some areas in Sokoto State affected by flood and soil erosion as a result of the last heavy rainfalls in the state.

    According to the report released by Sokoto SEMA office confirmed that some of the areas reported to have affected by the flood and soil erosion include Tudunwada, Aliyu Jodi and Bunza Road among others.

    MD SEPA, Dr. Kasimu Muhammad Yabo representing Sokoto State Ministry of Environment And Alhaji Nasir Alhaji Aliyu who is also the Director-General, State Emergency Management Agency Sokoto accompanied by the Chairman Sokoto South Local Government Area, Hon. Abdurrahman Sawudi together with other relevant stakeholders have conducted an emergency assessment visit to areas affected by the recent incidence.

    The joint emergency assessment team have succeeeded in visiting all the areas said to be affected by the flood and other environmental challenges in the state.

    As part of the Sokoto State Government urgent response to the incidences, the Sokoto State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal CFR (Matawallen-Sokoto) have recently directed for the control and management of threat of soil erosion about to destroy some structures at Shehu Kangiwa Secretariat Sokoto.

  • Uni Agric, other Areas Submerged as Flood wreck Havoc in Benue State

    Uni Agric, other Areas Submerged as Flood wreck Havoc in Benue State

    By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi

    No fewer than one thousand persons have been reportedly rendered homeless as well as property worth millions of naira destroyed by flood due to heavy down pour in Makurdi the Benue State capital.

    Checks by Day Break indicated that Federal University of Agriculture now Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University Annex along Otukpo road, Anchaver Agia street as well as Idye community have been flooded.

    It was gathered that the premises of the aforementioned institution has been Submerged with all properties including vehicles. It was a similar situation on the Anchaver Agia street where rain water has covered all the street there by hampering both human and vehicular movement.

    It was learned that the rain which lasted for several hours rendered thousands of people homeless and destroyed valuable items in the city.

    A resident of the area, Mr Teryima Apuu lamented that they have been completely cut off from accessing other parts of the state capital as motorcycles can no longer pass through the Anchaver Agia street.

    “We are appealing to Government to come and work on the Idye flood control channel to stop future occurrence.”

  • Flood Wreaks Havoc On Lagos, Sweeps Away Moving Vehicles With Occupants

    Flood Wreaks Havoc On Lagos, Sweeps Away Moving Vehicles With Occupants

    Two residents of Orile-Agege have also been declared missing, while four were rescued in the incident.

    Rescuers from both the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and those from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) as well as those from the fire service were still searching for the two missing persons at the time of this report.

    Public Relations Officer of NEMA in the South-West Region, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the unfortunate incidents, saying rescue officials were on ground.

    In another development, no fewer than 16 passengers onboard a commercial boat heading to Ibeshe from Mile 2 are presently missing.

    The incident occurred along the Kirikiri water channel around 7.45pm on Friday but the news broke on Saturday morning.

    Operators of the boat was said to have violated the safety rules by operating beyond the approved time for commercial boats in Lagos.

    A statement by the Lagos Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA)z Eng Sarat Braimah, revealed that, 16 passengers were onboard the ill-fated boat as at the time of the accident.

    “At about 7.45 today the 8th of July 2022, The National Inland Waterways Authority and Lagos State waterways authority received a distress call of an incident on the waterways.

    “A W19 passenger Fibre boat carrying 16 people capsized along the Ojo area of the state.

    “The Boat going from Mile 2 to Ibeshe in Ojo axis broke the waterways rules of late travelling by setting sail at 7.45pm.As he set out, the tide of the water drifted the boat to a stationary barge which caused the boat to overturn.

    “It is said that all passengers on board which includes children were not all putting on their life jackets.

    “The Search and Rescue team of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), National Inland Waterways (NIWA) were immediately mobilized to the scene of the incident but unfortunately could only find the boat after several hours while efforts are still ongoing to locate the victims.

    “The Boat is currently in the custody of Marine Police. The Boat Captain is also unaccounted for as at the time of this press release” she stated.

    The accident occurred barely three days after a similar incident in Lagos.

    Two ladies, out 20 persons, died in a boat mishap at Ipakodo area of Lagos on Wednesday.