By Abdullahi Lukman
Flash floods caused by heavy rainfall have affected 1,020 people and damaged 278 shelters across six communities and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Damaturu Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said 143 households were affected by the flooding in Kukareta and neighbouring communities.
The agency’s Director of Search and Rescue Operations, Dr M.I. Jalo, disclosed this in a flood incident assessment made available to the media.
Jalo said a joint rapid assessment by SEMA, officials
of the local government and community representatives identified Lawanti Gana, Bulama Gremari, Kokari IDP Camp, Fulatari, Tsohuwar Kasuwa and Bulama Adam as the affected locations.
He said the Kokari IDP Camp recorded the highest impact, with 48 households comprising 232 people affected and 63 shelters damaged.
According to him, Lawanti Gana had 30 affected households, involving 249 people, with 68 shelters damaged, while Bulama Gremari recorded 18 households and 149 affected persons, with 41 shelters damaged.
Jalo added that 17 households involving 141 people were affected in Fulatari, where 38 shelters were damaged.
He said 16 households comprising 133 people were affected in Tsohuwar Kasuwa, with 36 shelters damaged, while Bulama Adam recorded 14 affected households involving 116 people and 32 damaged shelters.
The SEMA official said no deaths or injuries were recorded and that no public buildings were damaged in the incident.
He advised residents to stay away from flooded areas and contaminated waterways and urged them to treat or boil drinking water and maintain proper hand hygiene to reduce the risk of water-borne diseases.
Jalo also called on affected residents to report any additional damage, missing persons and urgent needs, including food, clean water, shelter materials and medical assistance, to SEMA, the local government emergency desk or nearby emergency officials.
He urged residents to cooperate with assessment and relief teams and keep valuables and important documents in dry, elevated locations to protect them from further damage.
