Flooding in Plateau State on Sunday resulted in one confirmed death and the rescue of two individuals in affected communities. The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Sunday Abdu, provided this information after conducting an assessment of the affected areas with his team and other stakeholders.
Abdu attributed the flooding to a combination of natural factors and human activities, particularly the blocking of waterways by buildings constructed along them, the erection of illegal structures, and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse. While acknowledging the natural disaster aspect of the flooding, Abdu emphasized that human actions exacerbated the situation.
According to his report, the flood swept away three children, but local residents managed to rescue two of them while one child remains missing. Abdu clarified that the flooding’s impact did not result in three deaths, as previously reported.
He urged the state regulatory agency to address the issue of illegal structures and emphasized the importance of residents avoiding construction on waterways for their safety.
The flooding displaced around 100 households in several communities in Jos North Local Government Area, including Anguwan Rogo, Rikkos, Bauchi Road, and Naraguta communities, following continuous heavy rainfall from Saturday through Sunday.