Yobe’s State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) says over 31,000 households were affected by floods in 255 communities across the 17 local government areas.

“As of October 2, 2022, over 31,000 households were affected by floods across 255 communities from 17 LGAs of the State,” said Mohammed Goje, the executive secretary of SEMA. “Gujba Mutai, Kukuwa Tasha, Buni Gari and Buni Yadi, Gulani, Jakusko, Tarmuwa, Geidam and Bade witnessed the worst in nearly half a century.”

Mr Goje said 75 fatalities had been reported as a direct consequence of windstorms and floods, with many more lives at risk across 10 area councils from May to date.

He added, “Including 11 due to boat mishaps, over 200 sustained injuries and were treated and discharged free.”

Mr Goje said the hardest-hit were people living in flood-prone areas and along waterways and that 6,592 people were displaced across the affected communities.

“This does not include Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) returnee communities who are just returning and have limited access to farmlands,” he noted.

The SEMA official pointed out that preliminary reports and desk review indicate that 92 water points and lots of WASH facilities, agricultural products and livestock were also affected, disclosing that the agency successfully relocated some victims in worse-hit communities to approved public places and safe host neighbouring communities.

“SEMA has provided and distributed first-line food baskets to some of the affected population,” the official stated. “We invited all resident humanitarian and development partners to plan for medium and long-term responses and recovery using the state humanitarian coordination platform to mobilise resources for effective multi-sectoral disaster responses.”

(NAN)