38 die in Jos floods

-Man loses seven children -68 declared missing -Woman, 90, baby among victims -200 houses gone
Plateau State, which is still reeling from the effect of sectarian killings, was yesterday hit by another major calamity.

No fewer than 38 people were killed as floods sacked Rikkos Tundun, Gangare and Angwan Rogo in Jos North Local Government area of the state.

Sixt Eight people have been declared missing. More than 200 houses were washed away.

A resident, Abdulhamid Useni, lost seven of his 12 children. The distraught man said his wife and the other children were lucky to survive the flood.

“I have recovered the corpses of six of my children but we are still searching the corpse of the seventh one, he said.

Among the dead is a 90-year-old woman and a three-month-old baby according to Manasel Phampe, head of the Nigerian Red Cross in Plateau State. He said 20 bodies had been recovered in Gangeri and 18 in Rikkos.

The death toll was expected to rise last night after 68 people were declared missing.

The floods followed downpour which lasted for many hours between Sunday afternoon and early yesterday. It caused the overflow of waterways, forcing River Rikkos to overflow its banks. The rampaging flood consumed everything on its path.

“So far, we have recovered 16 bodies but many others are still missing,” the Publicity Secretary of Jama’atul-Nasril- Islam, Alhaji Faruk Umar, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos.

“Already, we have just buried 14 bodies. Two bodies have just been discovered, but we are also still searching for more bodies because many people are still missing.

“More than 200 houses were washed away following the flooding of Rikkos River,” he said, listing the worst-hit areas as Gangare and Ungwan-Rogo.

Umar blamed what he described as “colossal damage”, on the practice of building houses on waterways and blocking of drainage. He called for a massive drainage evacuation to allow free flow of water.

A NAN correspondent, who went to the cemetery, counted 14 bodies. He also saw two more bodies being conveyed to the burial ground.

An official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Kazeem Olanrewaju, said NEMA officials were already taking stock at the scene.

“NEMA has evacuated some of the displaced persons from Dilimi, Ungwan-Rogo and Gangare to a nearby school and we are battling to see how much assistance we can render for now.

“The figure of those affected is rather much and we expect the situation to be tougher with the Ramadan season but we shall do our best to help them,” he said.

Mr Edward Maigida, NEMA’s Director, Relief and Rehabilitation, told NAN at the College of Arabic and Islamic Studies in Jos where the displaced persons had been assembled that the agency was counting the displaced persons.

“We are conducting a census to ascertain their number and work out immediate intervention before we arrange some more lasting arrangements.

“We are also still assessing the situation around the vicinities and shall do what we can do immediately before getting to the headquarters,” he said.

Police spokesman Mr. Emmanuel Abu described the incident as a “natural disaster”, saying, however, that he had not received full details of the disaster.

“I will get back to you immediately we have the full details,” he told a NAN correspondent on the telephone.

The affected settlements are prone to flood disasters with such cases reported every year.

The Plateau State government expressed sympathy with the victims.

In a statement by Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yiljap Abraham, the government said:

“The Plateau State Government commiserates with the families and surviving victims of yesterday’s flooding in some communities in the city of Jos which has resulted in several deaths, missing persons and displaced of many families.

“Government is saddened by this unexpected natural phenomenon which has brought grief to the people in its wake.

“Consequently, Governor Jonah Jang has directed the state relief committee to step in with immediate effect and provide relief material for the surviving victims.

“The governor urges citizens to pray against any situation that bring further pain and discomfort on the people.”Daily Jokes | Free Forex Signals | Ibadan City Network (Forum) | Small Business Guide