October 8, 2023

Farmlands, domestic animals and residential buildings worth millions of naira have been swept away by flood in Mayo Selbe community of Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The flood is sequel to a heavy downpour which lasted for hours Friday night.

This is the first time the area has witnessed such a natural disaster which has also led to the collapse of a bridge within the community.

Some of the eyewitnesses in a telephone interview with Channels Television are seeking evacuation to higher grounds to avoid a repeat.

They also appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid.

The traditional ruler of the community, a third-class chief, Thomas Maiyanga is soliciting assistance from both the state and Federal Governments in rebuilding not just their homes but their lives.

He insisted that his subjects had been subjected to hardship in the wake of the flood as most of them had lost virtually everything.

Just recently, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Habib disclosed that the recent release of water from the Cameroon Lagdo Dam will cause more disasters downstream of Nigeria.

Taraba state is one of the states listed to be affected. Others include Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Adamawa.

It is still unclear if the released water from the Cameroon Lagdo Dam is the reason for the flood or the usual downpour.