The Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) has verified that at least five lives have been lost due to flooding in various parts of the state.
Dr. Suleiman Muhammad, the Executive Secretary of ADSEMA, disclosed this in an interview in Yola, the state capital, on Thursday, August 31, 2023. He mentioned that the flood has also caused damage to numerous homes and businesses in Fufore, Yola South, and Mubi South Local Government Areas.
In light of the recent closure of Cameroon's Lagdo Dam, Muhammad urged residents of riverine communities to exercise heightened vigilance and shared that a stakeholders' meeting was held recently to encourage relocation from flood-prone areas.
Muhammad emphasized ongoing awareness campaigns about the flood across the state's 21 local government areas and advised residents of flood-prone regions to adhere to experts' guidance and remain cautious, as more rainfall is expected. The ADSEMA leader affirmed the agency's commitment to effectively manage emergency situations in the state.
In another development, the Nasarawa State Government has instructed the deployment of speed boats to evacuate residents living near riverine communities, aiming to mitigate the forthcoming flood's impact.
The directive, issued by Mr. Zachary Allumaga, the Director-General of Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), indicated that Cameroon's notification of the Lagdo Dam floodgate opening prompted this action. To alleviate the effects of the Lagdo Dam discharge, five speed boats have been activated for evacuation purposes in flood-prone local government areas.
Allumaga called upon communities along the River Benue to temporarily relocate in preparation for the potential flood, preventing loss of lives and property. He requested local government chairpersons, development area overseers, traditional and religious leaders to influence their communities to move to higher ground.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had directed frontline states to adhere to flood mitigation measures. NASEMA had earlier carried out awareness campaigns in communities near the River Benue and other flood-prone areas to caution them about the imminent danger.
The agency uses various means, such as press conferences, releases, interviews, and jingles, to raise awareness about flood hazards, discouraging activities like farming or construction along waterways.
The Nasarawa state government, led by Governor Abdullahi Sule, remains committed to supporting disaster victims and proactively managing and mitigating the impacts of such events.
