3 drown, scores missing, houses submerged in Nasarawa flood

Flooding in Nasarawa has drowned three people and submerged homes, cemeteries and farms after hours of torrential rainfall in Lafia.

The state capital and its environs are reported affected in the overnight flooding.

Saidu Iliya of Filin Kura, Makama Primary School told Daily Trust, “The rain started around 3 in the night and it submerged my house by 7 in the morning. The River Amba has never overflowed its bank like this. This is caused by the small passage in the big river.”
He said, the flood overflowed the Amba Bridge connecting Workers Village, 500 Housing Unit and the road to Doma. It caused workers and passengers traveling on both sides to be stranded for over hours, till when the water level went down before they managed to cross the bridge.

Umar Mai-Unguwa of Tudun Makama said in his 20 years, he had never seen the river overflow its bank.

Chairman of lafia Local Government, Muazu Maifata, has gone round to undertake on the spot assessment and that they would assist the victims with relief soon.

However, Governor Abdullahi Sule has also visited the scene and ward warned against building and dumping refuse on waterways.

The governor said that building and dumping of refuse on waterways had become a worrisome phenomenon to the government and should be avoided. He said when the waterways are blocked, there would definitely be flooding because the water would find another direction.

Similarly, in Sabon Gari area of Doma town, the headquarters of Doma local government area, over seven houses were affected by the flooding and property destroyed but no life was lost.

In Daddere town of Obi local government area of the state, over 30 houses were overflowed with property worth thousands of naira washed away, but no life was lost.

In Ankani village, also in Obi local government, five persons drowned, two were rescued, while three are nowhere to be found.

There are also pockets of reports of flooding in some communities, with houses, farms and property worth millions of naira, washed away.

On why the presence of Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency, NASEMA, was not noticed at the scene, the Executive Secretary, Allu Maga said he is in his office.