Flood: 11 killed, over 11,8000 farmlands washed away in Niger State – Official

Eleven persons have been confirmed killed, and more than 118,692 farmlands were washed away in this year’s flood that has affected 19 of the 25 local government areas of Niger State.

The flood incidents also affected 246 schools and 529 communities, state officials said on Thursday in Minna, the state capital.

In the latest incidents, about 82 farming communities were reported ravaged following hours of torrential downpours on Monday and Tuesday in Mokwa Local Government Area of the state

Crops valued at millions of naira were reported washed away by the floods.

In Muregi Ward, 51 communities were affected, while 31 others were affected in Gbara Ward.

Also submerged were 47 primary schools and 43 primary healthcare centres in Muregi, Gbara and Ja’agi wards, all of Mokwa LGA of the state.

The affected communities in Muregi Ward include Egbagi-Majin Manna, Lugwa, Kpachita Wadata Edolusa, Esungi, Gbafu, Sanchiya, Kuchitagi, Badaifu, Tswasha, Jiffu, Nku kpata, and Muregi.

Others are Gbogifu, Edota-kuta, Lenfa-kuso, Giragi, Dako, Sunlati, Dakani, Twako, yabagi, Guga, Gunji-yekogi. Gbachi, Magi-bukun among others.

In Gbara Ward, Kpata-kacha Epogi, Edogi, Suragi Gudungo Wunangi, Kipo Fofo, Tayi, Banzhi, Chewuya, Dutsun and several other communities were submerged.

Confirming the incident to PREMIUM TIMES via telephone, the spokesperson of the state Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Habibu Wushishi, said no life was lost in this week’s incidents, adding that the affected farmers had moved to safer places.

“The commissioner and permanent secretary received reports of flooding which occurred in various communities of Mokwa Local Government Area due to the heavy rainfall. Communities, properties and farmlands were submerged and destroyed”, Mr Wushishi said.

He said the state government commiserated with the affected communities while urging them to relocate to safer grounds in compliance with NiMet’s prediction.

He named the local government areas affected as Mokwa, Katcha, Lavun, Lapai, Agaie, Shiroro, Munya, Gbako, Kontagora, and Bosso.

The others are the Edati, Agwara, Bida, Magama, Mashegu, Borgu, Gurara, Suleja, and Rijau local government areas, respectively.

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In a statement on Thursday, the Director General of the state Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, said 34 communities and 41,192 persons have been affected by the devastating effects of the flood.

It was also gathered that 6,865 households were affected, and 18 bridges and 80 culverts were cut as a result of the flood.

It could be recalled that on 17 April, the federal government warned that 148 LGAs in 31 states, including Niger, were at risk of severe flooding from April to November.