Tragedy struck the serene Cheledi Community in Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi State as a ferocious flood surge wreaked havoc, swallowing up no less than 700 homes and fertile farmlands.
The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed that this devastation was a direct consequence of the rivers in the region breaching their banks following an intense bout of torrential rain.
Mr. Adamu Nayola, the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at SEMA, articulated the grim reality in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday within Bauchi.
“In the wake of the heavy downpour, more than 700 residences and extensive farmlands in Cheledi Community have been utterly obliterated,” he stated.
The agricultural heartland bore the brunt of the disaster, with crops like rice, maize, sorghum, millet, sesame seeds, and cowpea being decimated.
Nayola classified the incident as nothing short of calamitous, deeming it the most severe event of its kind to unfold in the state this year.
The flood’s fierce rampage has left countless community members bereft of their homes, their lives upended by nature’s merciless force.
Commendably, the Commissioners for Humanitarian Affairs, Housing, and Environment ventured to the affected site to personally assess the magnitude of the devastation.
Their mission was not only to gauge the extent of the destruction but also to extend much-needed aid to the afflicted population.
Reflecting on these efforts, the SEMA official confirmed, “They evaluated the extent of the havoc inflicted by the flood across all stricken regions and provided essential assistance to the victims.”
It is noteworthy that a significant number of the affected settlements were situated on the precipice of the stream.
As the SEMA team engaged in the arduous task of tallying the destruction—both in terms of housing and agriculture—it became evident that substantial relief measures would be required.
Nayola revealed that this enumeration served as a foundational step toward facilitating the distribution of critical relief materials to those grappling with the aftermath of this disaster.
In light of this grim event, Nayola extended prudent advice to the public, urging them to steer clear of flood-prone areas and to desist from obstructing waterways with structures that could exacerbate the risk of flooding.
As Bauchi grapples with the staggering consequences of this deluge, the collective hope remains that such tragedies might be mitigated through a combination of strategic planning, public awareness, and compassionate response.
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