Flood Submerges 5 Kogi Communities

Authorities person said that astir 5 communities successful the Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State are underwater owed to flooding.

The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Mouktar Atima, disclosed this yesterday successful Lokoja, the authorities capital, saying the ‘floods person wholly submerged Ibaji Local Government Area successful the state’s eastbound senatorial district.’

He warned communities on the riverbanks to relocate instantly to safer grounds.
Atima, who led the Emergency Response and Critical Team connected an advocacy sojourn to the State Commissioner of Health, Dr Adams Abdullazeez, said the authorities is nary longer harmless owing to rising h2o levels successful the Rivers Niger and Benue.

He explained that, according to charts from experts and dam managers crossed the country, excessive h2o began pouring into the Rivers Niger and Benue connected Tuesday night, causing them to overflow.
“258 communities successful 8 section authorities areas of the authorities person been marked arsenic flood-prone areas, portion 42 internally displaced persons camps person been constructed to accommodate those to beryllium displaced.”

“An exigency operations centre has besides been opened. Already, 5 communities successful Ibaji Local Government Area were the worst hit, including Ota, Ofogbo, Itima, and Owara,” helium said.

Atima noted that the authorities Ministry of Health plays a cardinal relation successful catastrophe absorption and informed the commissioner astir the rising h2o levels, stressing that the adjacent 72 hours volition beryllium critical.

Last year, helium commended the wellness commissioner for proactive measures that ensured zero casualties.
Responding, Dr Abdullazeez said the ministry is liable not lone for healthcare services but besides for quality services and is afloat prepared to mitigate immoderate catastrophe successful the state.

He added that the fumigation of each 42 IDP camps had begun successful mentation for the floods and that each unit and materials had been mobilised to be to victims.

“My ministry is alert that determination whitethorn beryllium outbreaks of diseases oregon epidemics successful the assorted IDP camps, and we are afloat prepared,” helium said, commending Governor Usman Ododo for his committedness to wellness issues successful the authorities and noting that punctual involution during past year’s flooding saved lives.

Several states, including Kogi, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Bauchi and Jigawa, person intensified campaigns to avert the flood crisis.