SEMA: Seven persons missing, over 80 houses destroyed by flood in Niger state

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) says seven persons have been declared missing due to the flooding in Mashegu LGA.

In a statement on Friday, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the director-general of SEMA, said the flood also destroyed more than 89 houses.

Baba-Arah said the flood washed away many farmlands and three vehicles.

He said the heavy downpour lasted for several hours, adding that the flood affected Sabon Pegi and neighbouring communities in Mashegu and Nassarawa in Magama LGA.

“NSEMA has received reports of flooding in Mashegu and Magama council areas,” NAN quoted Baba-Arah as saying.

“The flood was caused by torrential rainfall that lasted through the early hours of Friday, beginning from 2 am to noon.

“As of the time of filing this report, seven people were declared missing, over 89 houses were affected, hundreds of hectares of farmlands were washed away, and three vehicles were washed away.”

The director-general said staff members of the agency, including volunteers, have commenced search and rescue operations for the missing persons in the area.