Overflow, windstorm murder 75, displace 6,592 persons in Yobe – SEMA

 Doc Mohammed Goje, the Executive Secretary of Yobe State Emergency Management

Agency (SEMA), discloses flood occasioned by a violent windstorm has murdered 75 persons across 255 communities in the last six months.

Goje opens this to newsmen in Damaturu when he address on the level of damages caused by the disaster in the 17 local government areas of the state.

He even stated that the flood had also washed away 10 useful roads and displaced 6,592 persons in some of the worst hit areas of Bade, Karasuwa, Jakusko, Gujba, and Gulani.

According to Goje, the 75 reported deaths were the direct consequences of the ravaging flood/windstorm with many more lives at risk across 10 local government areas and that more than 200 had sustained varying degrees of injuries and were treated free of charge.

Human in flood-prone areas and along waterways have been the hardest hit by the floods.

“Preliminary reports and desk review indicated that, so far 92 water points and lots of WASH facilities have been affected. This is particularly of huge concern in Jakusko, Bade, Gulani, Mutai, and Geidam.

“In these and many other communities, water is not receding at all or doing so at a very slow pace,” he said.

The Executive Secretary, however, lamented that, in many of the affected communities, especially Gulani, Gujba, Tarmuwa, and Jakusko where access roads have been disconnected, delivery of life-saving support becomes difficult.

“The good news is Governor Mai Mala Buni has directed immediate reconstruction and provision of alternative routes and work has since commenced with three of the 10 roads now accessible,” Goje said.

He said SEMA, alongside other frontline ministries and agencies as well as the local volunteers, are working round the clock to assist the affected communities as directed by the state Governor.