Many families have been displaced from their homes as flood wreaks havoc in at least seven local government areas of Benue State, following the surging of river Benue into communities along the coastline.
Our correspondent reports that the situation of the flood prone areas of the state was worsened by the continued heavy rainfall in the past few days.
A visit to some of the affected areas such as, Wurukum, Kyabis, Gyado villa, Achussa and parts of Wadata, all in Makurdi metropolis, showed the residents evacuating their belongings from their submerged homes to safer areas.
Some of the flood victims; Mrs Joyce Dzwar and Ruth Emmanuel said they were relocating with their families to relatives’ homes in other parts of the town.
An affected landlord, the Dean of Students Affairs at the Benue State University (BSU) in Makurdi, Prof. Joseph Kerker, said his estate at Gyado villa inhabiting over 25 occupants was submerged.
Kerker worried that among his affected tenants were mostly students of BSU, who are writing their examinations and appealed to government to step in and handle the situation to enable the undergraduates have a roof over their heads to finish their examinations.
When contacted, the state’s Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, Engr. Joshua Ahire, told our correspondent by telephone that at least 60 families were affected by the flood in Makurdi metropolis.
Ahire said that his team went out to survey potential impact areas but that it was difficult to immediately ascertain the exact number of people affected by the flood.
He however listed the affected local government areas to include; Buruku, Agatu, Logo, Ukum, Kastina Ala, Makurdi and Guma, adding that in some of the places, it was farmlands that were affected mostly.
The commissioner said his ministry was of the view that people severely impacted should be taken to a camp but that they (victims) said they will stay in their relatives homes.
“The people have not opted to go to camp yet. We wanted to see how we can open the camp and start providing for them. But when we engaged them in discussion, they said they prefer to stay with their relatives while some of the affected returned to their homes as the water receded in their areas,” Ahire said.
