Crops worth millions of naira were submerged in flood while several farmlands and houses were destroyed following torrential rain in Karim Lamido and Lau local government areas of Taraba State.
During a visit to the areas, it was gathered that the disaster is as the result of constant torrential rainfall and overflow of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon through the River Benue.
Some of the crops affected include maize, rice, guinea-corn, millet and cassava among others.
Villages affected in Karim Lamido local government area include Nibolo Madaka Kiffi, Madaka, Yama, Bandawa, Sanga, Usmanu, Jen, Gorowa and Didango.
Commenting on the situation, the district head of Karim in Karim Lamido local government area, Kuh Roman Ntiri, expressed concern on the situation and appealed to the government to come to the aid of the victims to cushion their hardships.
Roman explained that the call became critical due to the high level of destruction by the flood, stressing that majority of the residents in the area were depending largely on farming as the source of livelihood and if nothing is done to address the situation it would expose them to further hardships.
The traditional ruler said the flood had destroyed crops leaving farmers in precarious condition.
Similarly, the villages affected in Lau local government area include Nwaka, Bwei Nyakwele, Bwei Baba, Bwei Iyaka, Donnada, Doubeli, Lau town and many others.
In an interview with some of victims of the flood in Lau, they expressed concern over the destruction and appealed to the government to extend services to the area to give them a sense of belonging.
The village head of Lau in Lau local government area, Aliyu Baba Musa, said farmers would take the situation as a divine trial because the worst had already been done.
Musa said most farmers invested huge resources in the farming season, and also solicited assistance to enable people recover from the losses.
The caretaker chairman of Lau local government council, Hon. Zandin Lau, said the flood destroyed crops worth over N10 million in four wards of the local government area.
Lau said some of the people displaced by the flood were taking refuge in Jalingo while others had relocated to Donada and Kunini villages of the local government area.
“We are in serious distress, our people are helpless, hundreds of households have been destroyed, farmlands submerged, crops destroyed while hundreds of people mostly women and children are sleeping in public places as a result of the flood.”
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