Twenty-three persons have been reportedly killed, 74 others sustained severe injuries, and 116,084 displaced as flood ravage communities in Benue, four Local Government Areas, LGAs of Benue State.
The surging flood affected 104 communities across 11 LGAs including Agatu, Apa, Tarka, Gboko, Gwer West, Logo, Guma Vandeikya, Otukpo, Katsina-Ala
According to the Executive Secretary of Benue State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Dr Emmanuel Shior, 4,411 houses had so far been submerged in the affected LGAs while 14,040 hectares of farmland were washed away.
Dr Shior explained that responders from the agency were still profiling more victims lamenting that the state government was already overwhelmed by the situation.
READ ALSO: I am a member of a seven-man kidnapping gang—suspect
“We are already grappling with the persons displaced by the armed Fulani herdsmen attacks and then this. It is too much of a burden for the state government and we are already overwhelmed because the state government cannot handle the situation.
“We are appealing to the Federal Government, international and local humanitarian organizations and spirited to persons to come to our aid.”
“Already we are today flagging off the distribution of thousands of bags of rice, cartons of noodles and other food and non-food items. We are expecting more of the relief materials and as we procure, we distribute them, but we are starting with Agatu which is more devastated with major parts of the LGA already submerged while the people are taking refuge on the road shoulders. We are also distributing in Makurdi,” he said.
Also, the Principal Officer, Search and Rescue of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, John Digha said that his agency would provide food and non-food items to support victims of the flood ravage communities in Benue.
He said the federal agency had already moved its mobile water treatment plant with the capacity of 2,000 litres of water per hour to the state to treat the already polluted water sources in the flooded communities.
READ ALSO: Nigeriafilms