New Telegraph

Maiduguri Flood: Many Still Trapped On Rooftops –NEMA

Two days after the devastating flood that rocked Maiduguri, the impact of the flood is still being felt as many people are still trapped in their homes and on rooftops.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Onimode Bandele, said this on Channels TV yesterday.

According to him, over 400,000 households were displaced by flooding. “As of this morning over 400,000 households are being held in night camps and the search and rescue effort is ongoing,” he said.

However, Bandele could give the casualty figures because of the possibility of the flood bringing back buried bodies, although some reports indicate that 30 bodies have been recovered.

Based on the report he received from the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), he added that four body bags had been retrieved.

The director said: “Concerning fatalities, I spoke with the Zonal Coordinator in Maiduguri and the DG of SEMA in Borno State who confirmed that he collected four body bags to be used for people who died. So there are still conflicting reports of the fatalities because some people claim that the flood that occurred exhumed some bodies from burial sites, that way we cannot confirm until the water recedes very well.”

He noted that the number of displaced camps has increased from four to nine. Bandele said: “As of the onset of the incident, we had four camps but as of yesterday these camps have increased to nine to accommodate the evacuated populations,” Following the viral videos of the disaster, he confirmed that there were people yet to be rescued from rooftops.

Bandele also pointed out that currently several people are still trapped in DSS quarters and 505 Housing Estate He said: “The latest report we got this morning was that the people who live at 505 and DSS quarters are still trapped, so efforts are ongoing to get the people out.

“Unfortunately, that is the situation for now, and unfortunately, the people on the rooftop, but efforts are ongoing so that the Search and Rescue team with the support of the Disaster Response Unit can get to those people and evacuate them to safety.” He said the military is using trucks to rescue victims, noting that the NEMA helicopter is currently unavailable.

Bandele said: “What we are doing with the military is the use of heavy equipment such as trucks to get the people who are stranded to safe haven. “NEMA has called for more reinforcement of local divers, we have had to mobilise resources like engine boats from the neighbouring state of Yobe.”

Please follow and like us:

Read Previous

Islamic Singer, Labaeka Resigns As Kwara Gov’s SA

Read Next

You Play In Saudi, Entitled To Your Opinion, Ten Hag Hits Back