Flood Alert: River Niger Threatens Kwara, Niger, Kogi
•NEMA Orders Immediate Evacuation of Residents in Affected Areas
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has issued a warning alert to residents of three states over impending flood.
The agency, in a statement on Monday, gave the states as Kwara, Niger and Kogi.
The warning alert from NEMA was as a result of the continued threat to the states by the River Niger.
According to NEMA, the warning became necessary as a result of the risk of flooding from Jebba and Kainji dams.
The agency, therefore, called on the affected states to evacuate their residents within the flood plain immediately.
As a result of this alert, the Kwara State government has warned residents living on river banks across the state to move to higher plains due to the likelihood of flooding.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in Ilorin on Monday, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Tunji Moronfoye, said there was the need for those living on the banks of River Niger to vacate their homes to avoid impending flooding of the downstream section of the river.
The commissioner said the warning became imperative in view of the recent flooding in some parts of the country, especially in Jimeta, Adamawa State.
It was reported that the incident followed the release of water from a dam in Cameroun.
The commissioner also said that the recent publication issued by the management of Jebba Hydro Electric Plc indicated that the volume of water had increased significantly at the Jebba reservoir.
He, however, assured that the state government was doing everything possible to ameliorate the situation.
Meanwhile, more floods have hit northern and central Taraba, ravaging communities on the banks of River Benue.
The chairman of Ardo-Kola Local Government, Dr Jalo Buba, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sunkani, on Monday.
He said more than 3,000 hectares of crops, mainly rice, had been destroyed by the floods in 13 villages in the area.
Buba, who spoke to NAN correspondent shortly after visiting the areas affected by the floods, also said over 8,000 people had been displaced and were now taking refuge in churches, mosques and primary school buildings in Mayo-Ranewo and Tau villages.
He listed the 13 villages located on the bank of River Benue, which were completely destroyed by the flood to include Shomo-Gale, Shomo-Ndajule, Karim lazei, Gadaguru and Shomotawa.
Others, he said, were Garinseini, Jiru-Dauda, Jiru-s-Sabon-Gari, Jiru-Tsohon Gari, Jiru-kasa, Doi and Munci as well as part of Mayo-Renewo.
The chairman said farm produce, mainly rice and maize, covering over 3,000 hectares, had been affected, a development he explained, could cause food shortage in the state.
Buba said the area contributed over 70 per cent of the total rice produce in the state annually, and that almost 80 per cent of such rice farms had been consumed by the floods.
He also said that residential buildings, fishing materials and boats were swept away by the disaster.
Buba said that materials had been provided by the council and the state government, but that more was needed to assist the victims,whom he said, lost all their belongings to the floods.
He called on NEMA, other relevant agencies and well-meaning individuals and organisations to come to the aid of the victims.
At the weekend, about 43 bodies were recovered in different parts of Adamawa State, as people in the affected areas continue to flee.
However, no fewer than 20 corpses were seen floating on the River Benue on Saturday and Sunday according to water transport operators who were on rescue mission during Nigerian Tribune's visit to Lamurde Local Government Area and other parts of the state at the weekend.
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