Rakiya A. Muhammad
21 August 2007
Jos — More than 200 villages in the southern part of Plateau State were described yesterday as "endangered settlements" even as the death toll from the flood that ravaged the area rose to 47.
Speaking after receiving relief materials from the National Emergency Management Agency [NEMA] on behalf of the flood victims in five local government areas of Plateau State, the caretaker committee chairman of Wase local government council, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed said 11 more dead bodies were found in Wase yesterday, raising the figure from the 36 recorded at the weekend.
The council chairman said the actual number of deceased persons was yet to be ascertained as some people are still missing following the flood.
He said over 200 settlements on the Wase Basin, which included areas in Wase, Langtang, Kanke and Kanam are at very high risk of being washed away by flood.
The council boss expressed appreciation for the Federal Government and the state government's prompt aid to the victims. He said the Plateau government released N34 million, while Zenith Bank and UNICEF donated N15 million. He however appealed to NEMA for more relief material as according to him, the ones received were based on the first flood disaster, which occurred on August 4.
Also speaking, NEMA's coordinator for the North Central Zone Mr. Edward Maigida said Plateau State recorded the highest number of flood disaster casualties in the country, which raised the concern of NEMA Director General, retired Air Vice-Marshal Audu Bida.
He said NEMA is partnering with the military to provide temporary army bridges for areas cut off by flood, while the National Population Commission is to provide boats to ease movement to affected parts of the state. Maigida said the areas worst hit are those lying on low plains and that they may consider relocating people in such areas to higher plains.
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