SEMA: 24 killed, around 20,000 households affected by flooding in Benue

Emmanuel Shior, executive secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), says 24 deaths have been linked to flooding in the state.

Shior spoke on Thursday when he featured on ‘Good Morning Nigeria’, a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) programme.

TheCable had earlier reported that NEMA listed Benue among the 13 states in Nigeria to experience heavy flooding as a result of the release of excess water from Ladgo dam in Cameroon.

According to Shior, the flood has caused the destruction of around 20,000 households and 2,000 farmlands, while more than 20 persons sustained injuries.

He said an alternative camp has been provided for the victims, adding that the flood has contaminated water sources in the state.

“About 134,797 persons have been affected by this flooding in 12 LGAs which include Guma, Vandeikya, Otukpo, Katsina-Ala, Makurdi, Apa, Agatu, Tarka, Gboko, Gwer west, Logo and Buruku,” he said.

“We have recorded about 24 deaths, about 24 persons injured, close to 2,000 hectares of farmlands have been submerged, close to 20,000 households have been affected.

“It is very worrisome, but on the part of the Benue state government, we had shared that this year’s flooding would come as NiMet predicted. We put certain things in place. For us in Benue, flooding is a perennial thing as it happens yearly.

“Now that it has happened with high magnitude, his excellency, Samuel Ortom, has established a camp at Abagna. Abagna is already hosting some IDPs from herdsmen attack in Benue, and so, part of that facility that was established by the presidential committee on flood has been set aside for the victims of flood.

“We have also gotten support from NEMA. The water purification machine is already in Makurdi and we have taken that machine round some communities in Makurdi to purify water.

“Remember water sources have been contaminated, and so there is a need to purify water and provide good water for the people.”