Residents flee as floods sack more houses in Lokoja, Koton Karfe

More residents of Lokoja, Koton and some adjoining communities have been sacked from their houses by ravaging floods from River Niger.

A NAN Correspondent, who visited some of the affected areas in Lokoja and Koton Karfe on Wednesday, reports that the worst hit were the people living on river bank and flood paths.

Residents were seen moving their personal belongings from their houses at the New Adankolo layout, Hausa quarters and opposite the 400-units Housing Estate area in Lokoja.

It was also observed that many houses in Koton Karfe, including the state High Court premises, had been submerged by flood.

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One of the victims at Hausa quarters area, Mrs Aisha Abubakar, said that the flood came over the night, stressing that her husband’s vigilance had saved the entire family from being swept away.

Abubakar, who said that they were unable to retrieve their personal effects, however, gave thanks to God that all the members of her family were able to escape unhurt and were now living with relations.

Another victim, Malam Hussein Baba, said that he noticed a sudden rise in the level of water in River Niger on Oct. 28 and started making preparations to evacuate his family.

The Executive Secretary of the state Emergency Management Agency, Mr Julius Mejiyan, confirmed that flood had sacked many residents from their homes in Lokoja, Koton Karfe, Ibaji, Igalamela, Ajaokuta and other areas of the state.

Although Mejiyan said that no camp had been put in place to accommodate those displaced, he, however, added that efforts would be made to establish camps in the next few days.

He said that officials from the agency had visited the flood-ravaged areas to assess the level of damage and get the data of victims.

The executive secretary also stated that an interim report had been forwarded to the headquarters of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Abuja, for necessary action.

He appealed to those living along river banks and flood paths to relocate immediately for the safety of their lives.

Mejiyan said that more areas might be affected by flooding, as the water level in River Niger was increasing almost every hour. (NAN)