Flood destroys houses in Nasarawa, Niger – Daily Trust

Several areas of Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, were ravaged by flood on Thursday following an early morning downpour.

The affected areas included Unguwar Nungu, Millionaires Quarters and Bukan Sidi, where floodwater from blocked drainage channels entered homes, forcing some residents to flee to safety.

The rain started around 4 am and lasted until about 10 am.

A resident of Unguwar Nungu, Cheke Emmanuel, told Daily Trust that the flood pulled down fences and a building and damaged valuables in several homes.

“Water from the main gutter found its way into people’s compounds, pulling down some fences and a building. It also destroyed valuables in homes and created a lot of panic,” he said.

Emmanuel said many residents were seen bringing out soaked belongings from their homes, adding that no life was lost.

He blamed the incident on poor drainage and the bad condition of Ember A and Ember B streets, which lead to the annex of the Federal University Teaching Hospital.

He appealed to the government to urgently construct the roads and drainage channels to allow water to flow freely and prevent further flooding.

Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Princess Margaret Elayo, cautioned residents against building on waterways and advised those living in flood-prone areas to temporarily relocate to safer places.

Elayo gave the warning while inspecting affected areas in Lafia, where she disclosed that the government had ordered the temporary closure of Sandaji Hotel for allegedly failing to comply with environmental standards.

She attributed the flooding to blocked waterways caused by refuse, poor urban drainage and aggressive land reclamation that has led to the loss of ponds and open spaces.

She said the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had identified Lafia, Doma and other parts of the state as areas at risk of severe flooding.

The commissioner urged residents to change their attitude towards waste disposal and support government efforts to protect lives and property.

The incident occurred amid a NiMet warning of possible flash floods in 13 states between August 11 and 20.

The agency listed Nasarawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Adamawa, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Cross River and Akwa Ibom as high-risk states.

Family of 7 escapes death in Niger flood

Last Saturday, a family of seven narrowly escaped death after floodwaters submerged parts of the Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi Housing Estate in Minna, Niger State, destroying property worth millions of naira.

The incident occurred around 2 am after heavy rainfall that lasted until about 6 am.

Mrs Blessing Afiku, a farmer and resident near the INEC Warehouse, told Daily Trust that part of the room where she, her husband and five children were sleeping collapsed during the flood.

Afiku said the flood swept away 12 of her 15 goats, sewing machine, clothes and foodstuffs, including bags of rice and maize flour she had processed the previous day.

Another resident, Waziri Mohammed, said floodwater reached chest level in his room, while Zainab Ahmed said she and her children fled after water suddenly rushed into their home.

A retiree, Abubakar Gati, said he and other residents took refuge in a mosque after their homes were flooded, while his goats and chickens were swept away.

Residents blamed the flooding partly on alleged blockage of waterways by artisanal mining activities and appealed to the government for urgent intervention.

The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) advised residents living along waterways, canals and riverbanks to relocate to safer areas.