From Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
Communities in 20 local government areas of Bauchi State has lost 20 persons , 37 injured and over one billion Naira N1bn properties lost as a result of flood that wreaked havoc in all the 20 local government areas of the state, says officials of the State Emergency Management Agency SEMA.
Officials of the agency explained that flood wreaked havoc in all the federal highways in the State like Bauchi , Gombe road, Kano Ningi road, Bauchi to Maiduguri Federal Highways which forced commuters to wait for several hours before they will continue with their journey.
Giving the official up date on the situation State Coordinator of the SEMA Dr Abubakar Umar Gabarin told newsmen in Bauchi today Thursday that , we are still collecting number of casualties affected , however we have recorded additional figures of death , we recorded additional three in Gamawa , we have two , in Darazo, two in Duguri , flood brought three dead bodies in Jamaare, we recorded 37 people, injured, 47 culverts washed away by the flood 27 bridges collapsed, 6000 farms lands submerged over 2000 families affected and over one billion Naira was lost”
Gabarin said Governor Bala Mohammed after assessing the situation in various part of the State has set up a powerful committee headed by the State Deputy Governor Senator Baba Tela to go round the affected areas, to asses and bring a comprehensives report on the damages done to the communities by flood to enable the government know how to assist the victims.
He said the Governor has sent two trucks loaded with food items to Kirfi Local Government Areas , one trucks of Maize and the other one rice , he also sent 100 sacks of rice and 100 sacks of maize to Giade while affected people in Bauchi Local Government areas collected food items , blankets cups and plates as part of effort to alleviate their sufferings.
Gabarin said government is making effort to distribute emergency assistance to all the affected communities in the state based on their needs as they are assessing their situations they are also receiving assistance from the Government.
He thanked the United Nations Children Funds, UNICEF, National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Presidential committee on flood for coming to the state to assess the situation of the victims and appeal to the donor agencies and philanthropist to complement government effort and assist the Victims.
