Benue floods claim 23 lives, displace 116,084 people, destroys 12,856 households

The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has confirmed the deaths of 23 people who have so far lost their lives to floods that ravaged four local government areas in the state in the past month.

The State Executive Secretary of SEMA, Dr. Emmanuel Shior, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said apart from those who died from the flood occasioned by an upsurge from the River Benue, 74 people sustained serious injuries while 116,084 people were displaced from their homes and 12,856 household were destroyed, while 14, 040 hectares of farmlands were washed away.

While giving a situation update on the flood situation in the state, Shior stated that 104 communities in 11 councils, including Agatu, Apa, Tarka, Gboko, Gwer West, Logo, Guma Vandeikya, Otukpo, Katsina-Ala and Makurdi were most affected by the flood.

Read also:Flood displaces over 18,000 in Borno

“We are already grappling with the persons displaced by the armed Fulani herdsmen attacks and then this. It is obviously too much of a burden for the state government and we are already overwhelmed because the state government does not have the capacity to handle the situation,” Shior said.

“We are appealing to the Federal Government, international and local humanitarian organisations and good spirited persons to come to our aid.

“Already, we are, today, flagging off the distribution of thousands of bags of rice, cartons of noodles and other food and non food items.

“We are expecting more of the relief materials and as we procure, we distribute, but we are starting with Agatu, which is more devastated with major parts of the council submerged while the people are taking refuge on the road shoulders. We are also distributing in Makurdi,” he added.

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