Three individuals have been tragically confirmed dead as a result of heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in the communities of Gangere, Rikkos, Bauchi Road, and Eto-Baba in Jos North Local Government, following several hours of downpour on Sunday and Monday.
The Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Eugene Nyenlong, affirmed the distressing incident and revealed that NEMA, along with other relevant stakeholders, were swiftly mobilizing to assess the situation on the ground.
Nyenlong stated, “We are currently en route to the affected areas with other concerned parties to conduct an on-site evaluation of the disaster and engage in advocacy efforts. Based on the information available to us, three individuals have lost their lives due to the recurring floods in these areas.”
He appealed to the Plateau State Government to take stringent measures to ensure that residents vacate flood-prone regions. Nyenlong suggested that if people are unwilling to permanently relocate, they could consider temporarily leaving these areas during the rainy season and returning during the dry season to mitigate the risk.
One contributing factor to the vulnerability of these communities is the presence of waterways connecting them, which makes them susceptible to flooding. Additionally, these areas suffer from inadequate drainage systems, exacerbating the flooding problem.
The Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Emergency Agency, Sunday Abdu, also confirmed their intent to assess the situation on-site, after which they would determine the appropriate course of action to address the aftermath of the flooding.