Yobe Flood Disaster Kills 7, Over 4,500 Households Affected
- A flash flood in Yobe State has displaced over 4,500 households and claimed at least seven lives, prompting swift emergency intervention
- SEMA has activated critical relief measures, including shelter, medical aid, and food support, across the hardest-hit communities in Potiskum and Nangere LGAs
- Authorities are now working to halt construction along waterways and strengthen flood monitoring systems to prevent future disasters
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A devastating flash flood has swept through several communities in Yobe State, displacing no fewer than 4,521 households and claiming at least seven lives, according to the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
The disaster, which followed a recent windstorm and widespread flooding across the north-eastern state, has prompted an urgent humanitarian response.
Source: Getty Images
Mohammed Goje, Executive Secretary of SEMA, disclosed the figures while briefing journalists on the unfolding situation. He stated that the agency, in collaboration with other relevant bodies, had activated emergency measures to support affected residents.
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Potiskum and Nangere LGAs Hit Hard by Flooding
Goje reported that on 15 August, a flash flood in Potiskum Local Government Area (LGA) impacted 21 settlements across five wards, displacing 1,261 households—amounting to 12,470 individuals.
He said:
”Within hours, emergency measures were activated, including wet feeding for displaced families, temporary shelters, medical support, and rapid needs assessments.”
He added that despite 85 per cent of the homes being mud structures and heavily damaged, families received swift relief supplies, healthcare, and reintegration assistance.
Two days later, on 17 August, Nangere LGA experienced similar devastation. Following distress calls from Garin Kolo and Ajim communities, SEMA deployed field teams and volunteers to assist 550 households, totalling 2,937 individuals.
Emergency interventions included sandbagging and embankment construction, food aid, safe water provision, and sanitation kits to prevent disease outbreaks.
SEMA urges action against building along waterways
In a bid to mitigate future disasters, Goje stressed the importance of halting construction along waterways.
“The agency was working tirelessly with other relevant agencies in the state to ensure that individuals building houses along the waterways were stopped,” he said.
He highlighted the collaboration with the Yobe State Geographic Information Service (YOGIS) as part of a broader strategy to enforce zoning regulations and reduce vulnerability to flooding.
Government deploys real-time monitoring and forecasting tools
To bolster preparedness, the Yobe State Government has introduced real-time river flow monitoring across the Yobe, Komadugu, Katagum, and Hadejia rivers. Authorities have also begun disseminating climate forecasts from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) to high-risk LGAs.
Additionally, a digital Kobo-based community reporting system linked to a live Power BI dashboard has been adopted to issue timely flood alerts.
Strengthening frontline response to flood emergencies
Goje noted that rapid response teams at the LGA level had received training on flood-related health emergencies and search-and-rescue operations. “We have trained LGA rapid response teams on flood-related health emergencies and search-and-rescue operations, with advanced rescue kits, cholera treatment commodities, and hygiene kits provided to strengthen frontline response,” he stated.
While acknowledging the support of humanitarian partners, Goje emphasised that no single government could manage the growing scale and complexity of emergencies alone. He called for increased support to aid the victims and strengthen the state’s disaster response capacity.
Source: Legit.ng
