AT least seven people have died and more than 4,500 households have been affected by flash floods that devastated several communities in Yobe State, authorities confirmed today.
The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mohammed Goje, said the disaster followed recent windstorms and heavy rains across the north-eastern state.
He noted that the agency, in collaboration with other partners, had rolled out emergency measures to support victims, including food distribution, temporary shelters, medical care, and rapid needs assessments.
Goje explained that on August 15, floods in Potiskum Local Government Area displaced over 12,000 people across 21 settlements, with mud-built homes suffering severe damage.
Two days later, in Nangere Local Government, SEMA teams responded to distress calls from Garin Kolo and Ajim communities, where more than 2,900 residents were displaced.
Interventions included sandbagging, embankment construction, provision of safe water, food aid, and sanitation kits to curb possible disease outbreaks.
While appreciating the contributions of humanitarian partners, Goje stressed that the scale of the crisis required more support.
“No single government can address the growing complexity of these emergencies alone,” he said.
He added that the state government was intensifying preventive efforts by deploying real-time river flow monitoring systems along major rivers, circulating climate forecasts from NiMet and NIHSA to vulnerable areas, and adopting a digital Kobo-based community reporting tool linked to a live dashboard for timely flood alerts.
Furthermore, local government rapid response teams have been trained in flood-related emergencies, equipped with rescue kits, cholera treatment supplies, and hygiene kits to strengthen frontline response.
Goje also emphasized the need to curb unregulated housing along waterways, warning that such practices worsen the risks of flooding.