By David  Odama, Lafia

NO fewer than 361, 000 persons have been displaced by the flood disaster that ravaged two local government Council  in Nasarawa state.

A break down of the figure  showed that 135, 000 people from 23 communities were displaced in Umaisha,  Toto LGA,  while 226,000 displaced have been displaced  in Nasarawa LGA of the state.

Executive Secretary  of the Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency, (ASEMA), Barrister Zachary Allumaga disclosed this on Thursday in Lafia while fielding questions from journalists.

According to Allumaga who expressed fears over the rising cases of displaced persons following  increase rainfall resulting in flooding  across communities in seven local government areas of the state, hinted that over 800,000 to 1, 000,000 residents of the state were at  risk of being  displaced between  September and October this year.

“Over 800,000 to one million residents in Nasarawa state may be displaced  before the end of  October. As  we speak, some people are in the river currently  to take assessment, search and rescue,” Allumaga stated..

Allumaga said the state emergency agency have taken several  actions including  dispatching search and rescue team to the affected local government areas and communities for on the spot assessment, stating  that Nasarawa state was among the states  Metrological Agency predicted to be ravaged by this year  flood particularly in the month of September and October. 

“Towards mitigating the effect,  the agency with the authority from  the governor  undertook  sensitisation of the  people at the riverine areas especially   the flood prone LGAs of  Nasarawa, Toto, Doma, Awe, and other  flood flash points of Lafia, Obi and Karu Akwanga. 

” We have procured five speed boats and live jackets  for  five Local Government Areas along the coastal areas   of River Benue,  unfortunately, flood has  already  caused havoc  in the following LGAs; Lafia, Obi, Nasarawa, Toto, Awe, Doma, Karu  with  one dead recorded. 

According to Allumaga,  arrangements were on top gear to assist the displaced persons with the relief materials to cushion  the effect of the hardship as a result of the flood. adding that the  agency was already in the market making  additional purchases for onwards distribution to the displaced persons.

“We are making additional  purchases of food items and non food items such as grains, rice, beans, oils,  mattresses, mats, blankets, toiletries, buckets, cups,  children clothes, mosquito nets among others”.

The Executive Secretary however, called on the residents  living  along riverine areas to relocate  to high ground, warning against the impending  more flooding  in the months of September and October.

It would be recalled  that the State  House of Assembly had last week directed the state government to distribute relief materials to to the flood ravaged persons to cushion the effect  of  flood victims in the state.