Date: 2018-09-16

Residents of flood-prone areas in Kwara State have lamented the loss of property, livestock, crops and produce worth millions of naira.

Areas mainly affected included Kulende, Harmony Estate, Akerebiata, Garin Alimi, Isale and Koko.

Also hit by floods were 72 communities in the riverside areas of the Edu Local Government Area.

The Punch correspondent gathered that the flood either submerged or destroyed vehicles and houses as well as farmlands, agricultural crops and products.

One of the victims, Alhaji Balogun-Azeez, said he lost his wares to the flood, while another, Alhaja Atinuke Bakare, bemoaned the loss of agricultural crops and products worth several thousands of naira.

The chairman of the Edu LGA, Mr. Umar Belle, pleaded with the federal and state governments to assist the victims.

Belle, who spoke through his Vice Chairman, Mr. Abdullahi Kpasha, said the flood had rendered hundreds of family members homeless in the area. The council's Head of Department, Agriculture, Mallam Mahmud Adam, described the disaster as "highly pathetic."

He stated that many people had to desert their homes as a result of the flood.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government has urged residents of the state living along riverbanks to relocate to safer areas to avoid disaster.

The state Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Mr Amos Justus, called on residents of riverine areas, including Lafiagi, Patigi and Jebba in particular, to relocate to avoid casualties.

In a related development, the National Emergency Management Agency, on Saturday, said the water level had risen to 10.84 in Confluence River in Kogi State and River Niger.

According to the NEMA Director, Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Akugbe Namu, the Director-General of the agency, Mr. Mustapha Maihaja, has placed the rescue personnel on red alert in case the water rises above 12 and results in flooding.

He added that measures were being activated to reduce disaster in the event of flooding.