Flood kills three, destroys 1,453 houses in Bauchi

Ibrahim Kabir, director-general of the Bauchi state environmental protection agency, has confirmed the death of three persons by flood in Zaki and Gamawa LGAs.

Kabir said the incident also damaged 1,453 houses and several farmlands in the area.

He said this on Saturday while briefing Bala Mohammed, Bauchi governor, who was on a condolence visit to the affected communities on Saturday.

According to NAN, the heavy downpour occurred on Wednesday.

He said the flood also cut off roads linking the two LGAs with communities and some parts of the state in six places on the highway.

“As palliative measures, the communities need 14 canoes as means of transportation to cross the cut-off roads to continue their normal businesses,” he said.

Kabir advised the communities to relocate to safer areas to guarantee their safety.

While commiserating with the communities over their losses, the governor called for a coordinated effort to alleviate the terrible consequences of the state’s ongoing floods on local communities.

He noted that annual losses of lives and property were being recorded in the state.

Mohammed praised the federal government and the World Bank for their involvement in other areas of infrastructure and development.

He urged the federal government to help the state find a long-term solution to the issue and to offer palliative care to the victims.

The governor directed the state emergency management agencies (SEMA) to immediately procure 14 canoes for the affected communities and take inventory of the damage caused by the flood to enable the government to take further actions.