Ede Ogaba Ede,
Makurdi
Following the unprecedented rise in the volume of water in River Benue, the Benue State Government has ordered people living along the river banks to evacuate immediately to safer grounds, while those in flood-prone areas have been told to leave for specially designated areas nearest to them set up by the government to house them.
The rise in the volume of the water followed the release by Cameronian authorities of excess water from the Lagdo dam into the River Benue.
The acting Executive Secretary of Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. James Iorpuu, urged the people to heed the advice as the water level had risen past 0.9 meters.
Mr. Iorpuu had last week alerted residents living within a kilometer radius of the river to relocate to safer grounds as heavy rainfall was expected for 5 consecutive days beginning from 16th September 2024 based on predictions by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).
Though the rains didn’t fall as was predicted, the release of excess water from the Lagdo dam has catapulted the water level in the river to new levels that are now threatening residents living close to it.
The designated camps to which residents in high-risk areas have been told to relocate include International Market along George Akume Road, LGEA Primary School, Wurukum, NKST Primary School Wadata, and St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School for people living in Makurdi; LGEA Primary School Abinsi for residents of Abinsi while people living in Gbajimba were asked to go to Government Secondary School, Gbajimba.
People at Otukpo are to move to St. Francis College, Otukpo and those in Agatu are to move to Oweto, while those in Ugbokolo, Ugbokpo, Mbapa, and Uikpiam are to seek safer grounds close to them, where they could be accessed by SEMA.
The last devastating flood to hit Benue State was the 2022 disaster in which no fewer than 24 persons lost their lives in 12 Local government areas, while 74 other people sustained various degrees of injuries.