Flooding caused by intense rainfall has claimed lives and displaced residents in Yola North and Yola South Local Government Areas of Adamawa State, leaving behind a trail of submerged homes, disrupted livelihoods, and widespread devastation.
The rain started before dawn and persisted throughout Sunday morning, wreaking havoc in different communities.
The worst-hit areas are Yola Bye Pass, Sabon Pegi, Yolde Pate, and Modire, as houses have been submerged, farmlands destroyed, and roads ruined, preventing human and vehicular movements.
Multiple deaths are being reported, with children being the worst affected.
However, a report published by Daily Trust revealed that the casualty figure could not be ascertained as the search and rescue process was still ongoing.
“Many lives were lost, especially children. We’re still counting and searching. We never thought this could happen,” said Furera Adamu, a resident of Sabon Pegi.
According to Daily Trust, Shagari Low Cost and Sabon Pegi communities have been totally submerged, forcing residents to flee for safety.
The water has not yet receded as many homes are still inhabitable, with their occupants finding shelter in the surrounding countryside.
Electricity supply has been disconnected in worst affected areas, according to reports.
“We lost everything,” said a resident of Yola Bye Pass, who is mourning said, adding, “The water rushed in so suddenly that we had no time to rescue our things.”
It has also swept away vast tracts of farmland, heightening fears of likely food crisis.
Families have been torn apart, and the risk of deadly waterborne disease is increasing as a result of stagnant water and poor sanitation in affected areas.
As at the time of filing this report, the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) had not issued an official statement on the development.
But the Adamawa Commissioner of Police, CP Dankombo Moris, has deployed trained marine police and engine boats to render assistance to people in distress.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, shared a statement with journalists on Sunday detailing the response efforts by security agencies following the devastating flood in Adamawa communities.
According to him, the Adamawa State Police Command, working alongside troops from the 23 Brigade in Yola, swiftly mobilized to the affected locations to offer assistance and engage directly with impacted residents.
Nguroje further revealed that two bodies had so far been recovered during the ongoing rescue operations. The corpses have been taken to the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital for documentation and further procedures.
