TheNewsGuru

Tag: Flood

  • Eight bodies recovered after Niger flood

    Eight bodies recovered after Niger flood

    The Niger State Emergency Management Agency says eight corpses have so far been recovered following a downpour in Rafi-Gora village and Gangare Saji in Kontagora Local Government Area of the state.

    The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Ibrahim Inga, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Tuesday.

    Inga said that seven teenage girls were washed away by flood in Rafin-Gora market, while three children died in Anguwan Gangare Saji in Kontagora as a result of the flood.

    He said that the teenage girls were inside a shop in Rafi-Gora market when the flood struck, while the three children fell inside sewage while attempting to remove a shoe from the facility.

    He said that the dead bodies were recovered by local divers in collaboration with desk officers of NSEMA.

    He said one boy was rescued alive by a truck driver plying the road in Rafi-Gora village.

    “The boy that survived was holding tight to a tree when the truck driver saw him and rescued him,” the director-general said.

    He said efforts were being made to recover the remaining missing bodies.

    NAN

  • Flood scare: Edo govt. assures of timely waste evacuation

    The Edo State government has urged residents in the state to clear gutters and embrace best practice in disposing their wastes as the raining season sets in.

    Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, said the early rains, though good for agricultural activities, “could impact on the physical environment if proactive measures are not taken by residents to desilt drains and properly dispose their wastes.”

    He noted that “the heavy rains are coming earlier than projected by the federal government weather monitoring agencies and could cut short the dry season window and impact on ongoing road construction work across the state.”

    Osagie assured that efforts are being made by the appropriate agency of government to reduce the down time of domestic wastes at collection points and evacuate debris from drainages.

    “The Ministry of Environment is worried over the delay in evacuating debris on the road side and is currently simulating several options with a view to adopting the most effective way of dealing with this challenge.

    “When the debris are left on the road side, the rains could wash them back into the gutters and when that happens, the surrounding environment will be flooded. People can be sacked from their homes and business places.

    “We need a new attitude towards waste disposal and management as stakeholders in our human environment. Often times we bring home things we do not need, that end up in our trash cans.”

    He maintained that the medium to long-term plans of the state government are to harness the energy generation potential in wastes and recycling/reprocessing through robust private sector investment, to create jobs, produce renewable energy and environmentally-friendly materials, among other benefits.

    “The waste to wealth initiative has become very popular across the world and Edo State is ready to key into it and get its fair share of the initiative,” Osagie said.

     

  • Delta Govt. to commence more flood control projects in Asaba

    The Delta Government says it is to embark on more storm water control projects in order to check incessant flooding in Asaba, the state capital.

    The state Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, disclosed this at a meeting with engineers of the ministry in the 25 local government areas of the state on Thursday in Asaba.

    Augoye said that the construction sites of the storm water control projects would be located in Ralph Uwechue and DBS Roads in Asaba.

    He said that the water control projects in Uwechue and DBS roads would help to discharge rain storm water into the Anwai and Ailimocha Rivers respectively.

    He directed all contractors handing road projects in the state to go back to site before Monday next week, adding that time was of essence to the state government.

    The commissioner expressed displeasure over the attitude of some contractor who had refused to go back to their projects in spite of the payments made to them last December.

    Augoye advised the government contractors to make judicious use of the dry season, saying that rains would likely set in early this year as forecasted.

    He urged the engineers to do more by supervising the contractors closely to ensure that the jobs were done according to specifications.

    He also told the engineers not to hesitate to report any contractor who flaunted the directives.

    According to him, 2018 is a critical year to the state government because it precedes the 2019 election.

    “The state government will not leave any stone unturned to ensure that all ongoing projects are completed within the next dry season,’’ he said.

    Responding on behalf of the engineers, Mr. Eric Chuhwu, pledged their support to the actualisation of the programmes of the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration.

     

  • Vietnam flood deaths rise to 72 as heavy rains continue

    Rescuers have found the bodies of another 13 people following flash floods in Vietnam, raising the death toll to 72, while 33 remain missing, authorities said on Monday.

    “Up to 700 millimetres of rain had fallen as the result of a tropical depression over the previous five days in central and northern Vietnam.

    “It, however, stopped on Friday, but resumed Sunday night and is continuing through Monday.

    “Thirteen of those killed in Hoa Binh province died early on Thursday when their houses were buried by a landslide while they were sleeping,’’ the committee for disaster prevention said.

    The committee added that five people were still missing in that incident.

    According to reports, almost 50,000 homes were still submerged across the centre and north of the country, while floods destroyed bridges and roads, isolating many areas, and several dams have burst.

    Some 9,300 pigs, cows and buffalo have been killed, as well as nearly 300,000 poultry.

    The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has warned that more landslides could hit the country’s mountainous central and northern regions, as the land had absorbed too much water.

    “More carnage is also expected as Vietnam braces for Tropical Storm Khanun, which is moving in from the South China Sea,’’ the centre said.

    It added that it is expected to weaken to a tropical depression in the Gulf of Tonkin on Monday.

    “Authorities have instructed 75,000 fishing boats with over 300,000 fishermen to dock at ports or move out of dangerous areas in the South China Sea,’’ the disaster prevention committee said. (dpa/NAN)

  • Flood destroys 2, 000 hectares of Kwara farmland

    About 2, 000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed by water across the three districts of Patigi Local government area of Kwara.

    Special Adviser to Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed on Emergency and Relief Services, Alhaji Duro Mohammed, disclosed this while inspecting the havoc caused by flood in Patigi yesterday.

    He said rice farms in Lade, Patigi and Sepondi districts cultivated near the River Niger were mostly affected as well as a clinic, a cemetery and a primary school at Gbaradogi.

    Mohammed, who led the state government’s delegation to the flooded farms, described the damage as devastating.

    He called on the Federal Government to come to the aid of the state in ameliorating the suffering of the affected farmers.

    He said the magnitude of the disaster was too much for the state to bear alone.

    He also called for urgent dredging of River Niger and construction of a drain that would permanently secure the rice farms against flooding in the future.

    The Etsu Patigi, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, expressed concerns over the perennial flooding in the area.

    The monarch also suggested that dredging of River Niger and construction of drain would permanently safe the community from the disaster.

    Umar said the flood had increased poverty level in the community, noting that compensations were not enough in ameliorating the suffering of the people who are predominantly farmers.

  • Flood: Bagudu orders relocation of 100 households

    Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, has directed the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to relocate 100 households affected by flooding in Dole-Kaina Area of Dandi Local Government to a safer place.

    Bagudu gave this directive in a statement signed by Alhaji Abubakar Dakingari, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.

    He also directed the agency to provide the victims with food items, potable water, drugs and mattresses as well as to resettle them in a virgin land.

    “Their present settlement is no longer habitable. A permanent settlement should be provided for them on a virgin land so as to avoid a recurrence of the problem,” it said.

    He said that the relocation became necessary following the overflow of the River Niger and the displacement of more than 100 households in the border town of Dole-Kaina in Dandi Local Government Area.

     

     

    NAN

  • Flood: Fishermen takeover abandoned Winner Chapel’s church in Rivers…worshippers relocate

    Once use to be awash with worshippers every Sunday, Living Faith Church, Winners Chapel situated at Km. 18, Port Harcourt/Owerri Road, Rukpokwu area of Rivers State has turned to a fishing destination for young fishermen following incessant rain in the state which submerged the church and its environment.

    During a visit to the Church at the weekend, TheNewsGuru.com gathered that the Church has not held its services at the flooded worship centre for the past three weeks.

    Further findings reveal that the church has relocated to a temporary site, at McDonalds International Institute, a private secondary school located at Igwuruta, where it is now managing one of the school’s halls for some of the church’s activities.

    After the worshippers abandoned the church premises, young fishermen have now taken over the environment as their fishing field.

    Speaking with TheNewsGuru.com, one of the anglers who refused to disclose his name said fish now thrive in their hundreds around the church, boasting that he once caught a very big one on the day he was interviewed.

    When asked how and what he does with the fish after catching them, the source replied “We eat the small ones, and when we get the big ones, we display them and commuters buy from us.”

    “For me, all I need to do is place a frog or worm on my hook, drop my lines in the water and the fish comes for it. But there is a man we all call ‘King fisher’ he paddles his canoe around the church environment and uses net, so he gets more bigger ones”

    Meanwhile, a resident of the affected area who identifies himself as Charles Agburuka, whose home was also flooded, said apart from the church, there are other several property belonging to residents in the area that were destroyed in the flood.

    Agburuka lamented that the case would not have been so if the government had created proper drainage system to channel water into the canal.

    He said: “We have been rendered homeless by the flood. The problem is not the rain; the major issue is that there are no big drainage systems to contain the rain waters.

     

     

     

  • Flood: FG to dredge River Benue, construct drainages in Makurdi

    The Federal Government has promised to dredge river Benue and construct additional drainage systems to put a lasting end to the destructive flood being experienced in the state.

    President Muhammadu Buhari made the promise on Wednesday while addressing the Internally Displaced persons (IDPs) at the International Market camp in Makurdi.

    Represented by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, the President expressed optimism that the dredging of the river would provide a permanent solution to the problem.

    Apart from tackling the flood, Buhari also hopes the dredging would create job opportunities for the youth.

    “We need to look at a realistic solution to this problem, the dredging of River Benue is very important in addressing this flood issue and we will do something about it,’’ the President said.

    Buhari said the government was not only concerned about this year’s flood disaster but the 2012 disaster too and would find a permanent solution to Benue incessant flooding.

    “The intention of the Federal Government is not just to assist flood victims but also to find ways of providing real opportunities to help Nigerians improve their standard of living.”

    Earlier, Gov. Samuel Ortom, while welcoming the President, appealed to the Federal Government to assist the state in dredging the river and complete ongoing drainage system in the state.

    Ortom also commended the President for his prompt response and provision of relief materials to the flood victims.

    He said that the state had received an eight-track load of relief materials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), adding that five were on the way.

    He said Nasarawa State Government also donated four trucks of relief materials.

    The governor commended the Nigerian Air force for the provision of a healthcare system to the IDPs and other civil society groups for their various contributions as well.

  • BREAKING: Osinbajo arrives Benue to inspect damages caused by flood

    The Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has arrived Benue State with other Federal Government delegation to conduct an on the spot assessment of the havoc caused by the flood which ravaged the state some few days ago.

    This was revealed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande via his twitter handle @ akandeoj on Wednesday.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed that over 110,000 people in 24 communities including Makurdi, the state capital, were displaced by flood in recent months.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the flood follows heavy rains which began on Sunday, August 27.

    TheNewsGuru reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had seen commiserated with Governor Samuel Ortom and the people of Benue State with a promise that the Federal Government will offer the needed assistance to the affected victims.

    Details later…

     

     

  • Be more proactive to flood cases – PDP advises FG, States

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on state and federal governments to be more proactive to curtail flood disaster in the country.

    A statement by the party’s Head, Publicity Division Administration, Chinwe Nnorom, for the National Publicity Secretary, on Sunday in Abuja, said the party expressed its sympathy with government and people of Benue over recent devastating flood in Benue.

    She said that the party urged all agencies of government whose duty it was to provide emergency services to do so promptly to
    save lives.

    She stated that “we call on both the state and Federal Government to be more proactive by taking adequate steps to put in place mechanisms that will curtail such level of disaster in other flood-prone areas across the country.

    “We pray for the souls of all those that lost their lives to rest in perfect peace and condole with affected families to bear this irreparable loss.”

    Flood ravaged communities in Benue last week, where villages, farmlands and food storage facilities were washed away and many displaced.

    Two camps have already been opened in Makurdi to ensure that the displaced persons have shelter and received assistance as chairmen of the 23 local government areas were directed to use some primary schools as designated camps for affected victims in their areas.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had immediately directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to support persons affected by the flood.

    The flood submerged two major bridges on River Guma at Tor Kpande, and Mande Ortom.

    Some 11 bridges and culverts were submerged, while the worst hit communities included Tse-Adorogo, Tse-Igba, Tse-Akor, Tse-Terzar, Tse-Abi, Tor Kpande and some villages on the stretch between Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi and Gbajimba, the local government council headquarters.

     

     

     

    NAN