Taraba farmers jittery over flood threat

Fear has gripped farmers whose farms are located along the bank of River Benue in Taraba State following an increase in the volume of water in the river.

Daily Trust learnt that already farms were being submerged, a development that has left many farmers in fear.

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Sources in Lau, Karim-Lamido, Gassol and Ardo-Kola local government areas said water has started submerging  rice and maize farms

A farmer, Kabir Waziri, said they had noticed an increase in the volume of water in River Benue two days ago and is now overflowing its bank into their farms.

He said farmers, whose farms are located close to the rivers, are having sleepless nights as a result of fear of possible destruction of their crops by the flood.

According to him, it is alarming to see water submerging farms in July despite the fact that, under the yearly rain pattern in the state, it is in August and September that heavy rainfall is recorded.

“We have two months ahead to enter the period of heavy rainfall, but we are already witnessing more heavy rainfall now which is very alarming,” he said.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had warned against building houses and farming close to river banks, but such warnings were not heeded to by communities located along the banks of the three major rivers in the state.