Two flood-prone communities across two Local Government Areas in Nasarawa State have been submerged by flood as houses, farmlands and other valuables are destroyed.
The communities affected are Loko, bordering river Benue in the Nasarawa Local Government while Bassa Community is in Kokona Local Government of the State.
Ben Akwash, Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Emergency Management Agency (NASEMA), made this known on Monday, in an interview with BusinessDay in Lafia.
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Akwash stated that though the extent of the damage was yet to be ascertained, the flood swept the entire farms with nothing to recover.
He lamented that even though the incident at the Bassa Community was not among the Local Governments predicted by NIMET, he however said, the agency had begun aggressive sensitisation currently ongoing across all the flood-prone communities to ensure people are moved upland before the impending flood happens.
“We are working hand in hand with the community leaders, local chiefs and youth groups to talk to some locals who remain adamant despite repeated warnings, and appeal to move to uplands ahead of the flood.
“We have held several sensitization meetings with all the communities prone to flooding and agreed with village heads and traditional rulers to persuade the locals, who may want to see the flood coming before they move to kindly plead with them because we have provided safe havens in all the flood-prone communities in the event of a flood”, he said.
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Akwash also hinted that Governor Abdullahi Sule, because of his passion and concern for those likely to be affected, procured adequate relief materials in stock against any eventuality.
He called on flood-prone communities to take proactive actions in line with the warnings by the Federal Government, by moving to uplands now that the rainfall is on the increase.
