Four Casualties Recorded in Bauchi Floods
The Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has confirmed the demise of four persons as a result of the ongoing floods in various communities across the state. The agency’s Director General, Mas’ud Aliyu, disclosed these developments in an interview on Tuesday, shedding light on the devastation caused by the floods in the affected regions.
The fatalities occurred in Shira, Giade, and Katagum Local Government Areas (LGAs), where the floodwaters have wreaked havoc. According to Aliyu, the most impacted LGAs are Giade, Katagum, and Shira. The floods have submerged large tracts of farmland, destroyed homes, and, tragically, claimed lives.
The state government has responded by dispatching a delegation led by the Secretary to the State Government. This delegation includes key officials from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Housing and Environment, and Finance, alongside the Director General of SEMA, to conduct an assessment of the affected areas.
In Giade, although no lives were lost, the flood decimated farmlands, affected livestock, and caused significant damage to domestic assets. However, the situation in Shira is more dire, with three lives lost, homes destroyed, and farmlands submerged. Katagum LGA also witnessed substantial damage, with one life lost and considerable destruction of farmlands and properties.
One of the most significant infrastructural damages reported is in Katagum, where a bridge has been damaged, leaving travelers stranded. The floods have also severed key road links, including routes from Azare to Jama’are, Azare to Giade, and Shira to Azare, further isolating affected communities.
SEMA’s Director General, Mas’ud Aliyu, issued a stark warning to residents living in flood-prone areas, particularly those near waterways, to evacuate immediately to avoid further loss of life. He stressed the ongoing threat of flooding in many parts of the state and urged residents to take preventive action.
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Katagum LGA, Musa Azare, provided additional details, revealing that the Sabon Gari community near Azare town has been completely submerged. Across Katagum, a total of thirty-five communities have been impacted by the floods. The state government has responded by donating food items and other essential supplies to the affected communities.
Azare further noted that the entire village of Sabon Gari had to be evacuated to nearby government quarters with the governor’s approval. The local authorities, in collaboration with state and national emergency management agencies, continue to assess the damage and provide necessary relief.
Similar devastation has been reported by the Caretaker Chairmen of Shira and Giade LGAs, where entire communities have been submerged, forcing many to seek refuge in temporary resettlement centers.
Addressing the victims, the Secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Ibrahim Kashim, urged them to accept the situation as an act of destiny. He also advised them to heed warnings issued by the Nigeria Meteorological Agency concerning further flood risks, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in these challenging times.
