Flood wreaks havoc in Benue

Flood wreaked havoc yesterday in Makurdi metropolis of Benue State following a heavy rainfall which lasted for several hours, leaving many families stranded.

The rain which started at 12:00 midnight continued until about 5:00am on Sunday, washing away electricity poles, markets and homes in nearly all residential areas of the state capital.

Our correspondent reports that Wurukum market, High level, Wadata, North bank, Gyafo villa, Kanshio and Naka road suburbs of Makurdi were among the worst flooded areas.

The Executive Secretary of Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Boniface Ortese, who went in the company of some commissioners in the state for on the spot assessment of the situation, said there was hardly any place in Makurdi not affected by the flood.

Ortese who had been warning residents in floodprone areas in the state for a few months now to heed the recent Nigerian Metrological Agency prediction and relocate to safer ground, urged the traders at the Wurukum market in their own interest to relocate immediately to the international market along Chief Abu King Shuluwa way that was built by the state government for them but which they have over the years refused to occupy.

“At the moment, I’m collecting names of people affected and property destroyed by the flood. I have reported the situation to NEMA and hope to later today (yesterday) bring the matter to the knowledge of the governor. Then, we will open a camp for those internally displaced by the flood,” Ortese added.