Flood sacks Makurdi residents following heavy downpour

From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi...CONTINUE READING

Over 36 residential houses within Logo1 in Wurukum area of Makurdi metropolis have been flooded following a heavy rainfall in the early hours of Saturday. Those affected have called on the state government to come to their aid as their properties including food stuffs have been destroyed following the heavy down pour that lasted several hours. One of the victims, Donatus Agule said the rain started about 1am in the morning and fell till about about  flooding their homes with mattresses, electronics, documents, chairs among other household items soaked. While lamenting the extent of damage, Agule blamed the flood on the poor drainage system and blockage of water channels in the area.

He expressed worried that if this could happen in this early June when the rain was just starting, what would happen by September, August, this year when the rains become heavy if the drainages are not constructed. Another resident, Tavershima Wuyol, observed that the indiscriminate building of houses without taking recourse to development guidelines and blocking of water channels leading to Logo 1 from the George Akume road axis were the lead course of the flood.

Also speaking, other victims Amaka Ogbonna and Iveren Abuul lamented their predicaments and called on the state Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia to quickly come to their rescue. The Leader of Sawa Community unit 1, Logo1, Albert Garuba, appealed to the state Government to deploy men and resources to the affected residents in Logo1 area to tackle flood in order to channel the water properly to forestall future occurrence especially now that the rain is just beginning to fall. When our correspondent visited the area, residents were seen drying their clothes and other household hold items in the open.