The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) on Wednesday said no fewer than 18 persons died and 41, 959 persons displaced during the 2019 flood disaster in the state.
Alhaji Ahmed Inga, Director General, NSEMA, disclosed this in a statement in Minna after the agency conducted a rapid assessment of the 2019 flood disaster in the state.
NSEMA conducted the assessment in conjunction with the affected Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC).
He said that the flood disaster also affected 20 local government areas, 516 communities and submerged 152 communities, while 2,714 houses were destroyed and 41,959 persons were displaced.
Inga listed the affected areas to include: Mokwa, Lapai, Lavun, Borgu, Shiroro, Katcha, Kotangora, Mashegu, Gurara, Suleja, Gbako, Chanchaga, Bosso, Agaie, Agwara, Rafi, Munya, Edati, Paikoro and Wushishi local government areas.
Inga explained that the flood, which began in August as a result of a localised high intensity rainfall accompanied by torrential winds, triggered massive run off activities in streams, rivers and drainage in urban and rural areas.
“The flood killed five people in Ketso community, a child in Kontagora town and a 7-year year-old Khadijat Aliyu in Fadipe areas of the state.
“Also, a father and his three sons lost their lives in Edati, three primary pupils in Gurara, three children in Yuna village of Borgu Local Government Areas of the state,” he said.
The director general added that farmlands were destroyed as well as roads, bridges and culverts during the flood disaster.
He said that the combine effect of the micro climate trend and sever rainfall regime upstream of river Niger and Kaduna increased inflow in the basin, which resulted in the spillage of the water from the three hydro power dams.
