Flood-ravaged Taraba communities cry for help

By Adeleye Kunle

Communities ravaged by floods in both Lau and Karim-Lamido local government councils of Taraba State have appealed to the state government to come to their aid.

Following recent heavy rainfall and the alleged overflowing of the Lagdo dam in neighbouring Cameroon, through River Benue, several communities spread across the two councils have suffered flooding.

Some of the communities are Nibolo Madaka Kiffi, Madaka, Yama, Bandawa, Sanga, Usmanu, Jen, Gorowa, Didango, Komodoro, Pai, Belango, Nahuta, Shemel, Bonada, Ziddi, Jabjab, Didango, and Gorowa, etc.

Stressing how dire the communities and the victims are in dire need of helping hands, Chief of Old Muri in Karim-Lamido council, Abdullahi Mohammed Chiroma, told Track News that the entire communities have been devastated by the flood.

The monarch, who preceded to describe the situation “as a national threat to economic activities” believed that if no urgent measures were put in place to reach out to the victims, the dreams of ensuring abundant food come next year, would turn out to be a mirage.

Taking his time to enumerate the series of crops washed away by the flood including maize, guinea-corn, cassava, rice, and soybean, among others, the situation, according to him, will no doubt negatively affect the economy of the state and the country at large.
He said shelter, food as well as other materials are needed to reduce the effect of the disaster on residents