By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Several homes and business places have been submerged in Makurdi the Benue State capital following days of intermittent rainfalls that have left hundreds of families displaced and property worth millions of Naira destroyed.

The daily torrential rain falls which caused the flooding of several communities in the town including the Ishaya Bakut axis, Achussa, Idye, Naka Road, Wadata rice mill, Agwan Jukun communities among others have forced helpless families out of their homes while many were seen trapped in their residences and unable to vacate their flooded houses.

The devastation came about three weeks after the Executive Secretary of the Benue state Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Dr. Emmanuel Shior appealed to residence in the town and other communities on flood prone areas to vacate such areas to safer places following earlier warning by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) of the impending flood.

Dr. Shior who led his team to assess the damage caused by the flood blamed block water channels and drainages as well as the erection of illegal structures on water routes for largely being responsible for the disaster.

He appealed to residents to immediately embark on the clearing of blocked  drainages, “while those who are living in areas that are prone to flood should immediately vacate to safer places before it is too late.

“On our part we are doing everything within our powers to mitigate the impact. We are working together with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs and all relevant stakeholders to share information and tips about what we should do to avert the disaster.”

The Executive Secretary also disclosed that State Government had set up a standing committee which includes SEMA, the Ministries of Environment and Water Resources, Lands and Survey, Urban Development and other stakeholders to synergise and address the issue of perennial flooding in the State.

He said his agency would seek the intervention of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs & Social Development as well as National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and other relevant government agencies in order to get succour for the victims.

An occupant of some of the submerged houses on Ishaya Bakut Road, Mr. Anthony Elekpa who narrated his ordeal said he lost most of his household property and import documents to the flood.

He said: “It is actually a sad day for me and my entire family. We lost several of our properties including documents and books to the flood. The entire thing was like a dream becaue we didn’t see it coming. And as we speak we have no where to go to, it is as bad as that. We are appealing to spirited individuals and organizations to come to our aid because we know that the government is already battling with the IDPs that were displaced by herdmen, so we do not know if they have the capacity to take care of us who have been displaced by the flood.”

More photos below…