700,000 displaced in Bayelsa as flood ravages 300 communities

The Bayelsa State Government has expressed worry that the impact of this year’s flooding might result in humanitarian crisis, saying about 700,000 persons have been affected.

The commissioner for environment and chairman of the state’s Task Force on Flood Mitigation and Management, Iselema Gbaranbiri, who raised the concern yesterday while giving update on the committee’s activities, said no fewer than 300 communities and villages had either been totally or partially submerged.

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He said that virtually all the communities and streets in Yenagoa Local Government Area had also been either submerged or partially flooded.

He said communities in five other local government areas, including Sagbama, Ekeremor, Ogbia, Kolokuma/Opokuma and Southern Ijaw, were equally affected.

He said there had been reported cases of corpses washed away from the cemetery in Asokoro community in Yenagoa, raising concerns of an impending health crisis.

He, however, assured that the state government would do its best to bring relief to victims of the flood as the committee was working round the clock to address the challenge.

Meanwhile, as a result of the situation, costs of food items and transportation have been hiked in the state.