By Oke Joseph
At least 414,000 people have been displaced, and 30 lives lost due to severe flooding in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) revealed that the flood after the Alau Dam overflowed following days of heavy rainfall, marking the town’s worst flooding in three decades, according to the United Nations Human Rights Refugee Council.
According to NEMA, more than 23,000 households have been hit by the rapid rise of waters following the weekend rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, 20km south of Maiduguri.
Reports indicate the water had receded as of Wednesday after 70 per cent of Maiduguri was submerged by the fast-moving waters, according to NEMA, which ravaged major city locations, including the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Umar Ibn Garbai El-Kanemi; the state secretariat, post office, cemetery, and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. The flood also washed away 80 per cent of animals at the Sanda Kyarimi Park zoo, and damaged houses, schools, as well as commercial and worship centres.
President Bola Tinubu expressed deep concerns over the flooding and tasked relevant government agencies to expedite rescue efforts while Vice President Kashim Shettima arrived in the Borno capital Tuesday to conduct an on-the-ground assessment of the devastating floods.
Tinubu also called for the immediate evacuation of residents in communities overtaken by floods.
The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, told journalists that a preliminary assessment conducted by the government showed that more than a third of Maiduguri was flooded, which affected an estimated one million people following the heavy flooding.
“The floods covered one-third of the city, affecting over one million people. It is very devastating,” Zulum said while distributing cash and food to thousands of displaced persons at a camp.
Zulu added that the Federal Government allocated N3bn for rehabilitation of the victims, adding that the funds would be used to provide food and other essential supplies, as well as support long-term strategies, including health monitoring to prevent disease outbreaks. The governor also announced that cash distributions of N10,000 per household have been made to flood victims.
In addition, the state government organised search and rescue operations to assess casualties and gather data on those affected.