Anguwan Tana, a community in Yola North Local Government Area (LGA), was engulfed by floodwaters on Thursday due to the overflow from River Kilange and River Faro.
The farming settlement, located in the state capital along the banks of the River Benue, which spans across Yola, has faced severe devastation as a result of the heavy flooding.
Residents of the community expressed their distress over the destruction of their farms caused by the flood.
On Friday, Dr. Mohammed Suleiman, the Executive Secretary of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA), visited the affected area and stated that the suffering of the people could have been prevented if they had heeded the warnings about the imminent flooding.
“We had issued warnings before the start of the rainy season, based on the flood predictions we received. It is unfortunate that they did not take the necessary precautions,” the ADSEMA boss told reporters.
Emphasizing the importance of cooperation between the community and the government, he assured the residents of assistance in the form of food and non-food relief items.
Malam Rabiu Ibrahim, the ward head of the community, attributed the flood to inadequate drainage systems and appealed to the state government for intervention in addressing this issue.
A victim of the flood, Aisha Mohammed, a mother of ten children, spoke about the dire situation and urged the government to take action and relocate them to a safer area.
She said, “We have young children, and the contaminated water poses a significant health and environmental threat. We implore the government to address this situation and provide us with a secure place to live.”
Furthermore, she added, “Although the government has consistently warned us about the potential flood, we have no alternative place to go. This community is all we have.”
