The death tolls from the Niger flood disaster have increased to no fewer than 115 as President Bola Tinubu directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and security agencies to intensify ongoing rescue and relief operations.
Recall that at least 21 person lost their lives and several houses were destroyed following a torrential downpour on Wednesday night.
The affected areas were Tiffin Maza and Anguwan Hausawa in Mokwa town, Mokwa Local Government Area of the state.
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However, on Friday, the death toll has risen to over 115, according to the state emergency management agency, which has mobilized staff and resources to the affected areas for rescue operations.
Also, the number of injured has risen to over 150,
Over 200 households were either damaged or completely washed away by the flood, which the people said the cause remains a mystery. A hundred-year-old tree in Mokwa town was pulled down by the rampaging flood.
The flood was said to have cut off the only makeshift bridge in Mokwa town on the road linking the southern parts of the country with the north, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded in Mokwa town since Wednesday night, when the flood occurred.
Worried by the level of destruction, the state government has appealed to the federal government even as it has asked all relevant agencies to provide immediate relief to the people, especially those whose houses have been washed away and the injured.
A statement by the special adviser to the governor on communication and media strategy, Jonathan Vatsa said the state government will require assistance from the federal government to be able to cope with the situation due to the magnitude of the disaster, pointing out that “the state government will not be able to cope with the current situation.
“This is the highest flood disaster that has occurred in the state in recent times. The destruction is huge and this is beyond what the state government can handle that is why we are appealing to the federal government to immediately come to our aid.”
He pointed out that all vehicles traveling to and from the north to the southern parts of the country are currently stranded at Mokwa town as the only bridge in the town has been cut off by the flood.
The state Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, accompanied with some top government officials have paid on-the-spot assessment to the affected where he was said to have described the disaster as unimaginable.
The Deputy Governor also expressed shock at the level of destruction by the flood and appealed to the people to remain calm as relevance agencies intensify efforts rescuing possible survivors.
He assured the people that the government will not leave them alone, as everything humanly possible will be done to reduce their suffering. He ordered that some of the injured be evacuated to the federal medical center, Bida for proper medical attention.