By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Bauchi State Government has confirmed that so far, Twenty-four people have been killed following the flood disaster that has ravaged 16 LGAs of the state since the beginning of the raining season.
The confirmation was made by the Commissioner of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajara Yakubu Wanka while briefing Journalists at the end of an extraordinary State Executive Council (SEC) meeting held on Monday at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office.
According to the Commissioner, 163 people have been variously injured, 122, 330 households have been displaced, 12 major roads were cut off majorly in the Northern part of the state, 60 culverts have been washed away, 52,005 houses have been completely destroyed, 173 electricity poles have collapsed.
The Commissioner added that farmlands were destroyed as well as 11,000 domestic animals thereby rendering thousands of people homeless and taking shelter among their people who are not seriously affected.
She also said that the Ministry is working with the Ministry of Education to ascertain the number of educational institutions affected by the flood in order to be able to know what steps to be taken for mitigation.
Hajara Yakubu Wanka added that the Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir has constituted a high powered committee headed by the Commissioner for Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, Aminu Hammayo to assess the extent of damage.
According to her, the Committee is to propose to Government measures to be taken as palliation in line with the directive of the Federal Government to States ravaged by flooding.
The Commissioner also said that the Ministry in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) did a scale up assessment to mitigate against the devastation effect of the flooding having been warned earlier by NiMet.
“Though the rains are still falling unabatted, the flooding is continuing. But, so far, in terms of losses, the State has lost a total of N22. 319b,” Hajara Yakubu Wanka disclosed.
