Daji Sani in Yola
In a bid to avert the reoccurrence of the level of devastation suffered by the residents of Adamawa State in the 2012 flooding which claimed many lives and property, the state government has raised the alarm over imminent floods and called on residents living round the River Benue to move to higher terrains.
The state government disclosed this yesterday in a statement signed by the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mr. Ahmed Sajoh
The statement further explained that the Cameroun authorities have alerted the federal government on the opening of the spillways of the Lagdo Dam due to the heavy rains experienced of recent which have filled the Dam to capacity.
“The state Governor, Senator Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow, has received an official communication from the Presidency that the rising waters of the River Benue as a result of the heavy rains and the opening of the spillways of the Lagdo Dam will intensify in the coming days.
“According to the Presidency, the water level at the confluence of the Rivers Benue and Niger at Lokoja has passed the 2012 threshold. This is very serious, especially if one recalls the miseries associated with the 2012 floods in Adamawa State” the statement explained.
According to the statement, the state government has recently observed the rising tide of the River Benue across the state and the increasing submergence of houses and farmlands along the river bank.
It urged residents who are already affected to move to higher grounds for safety.
The statement however, called on residents living around River Benue in Fofure, Yola North, Yola South, Demsa, Numan and Lamurde Local Government Areas to move to higher grounds in order to minimise the devastation of the expected flood.
It also stated that the government wished to assures all citizens of a response programme involving all stakeholders in disaster management to respond promptly should the need arises, adding that the government is mindful of its to protect lives and property.
