Five killed, 50 missing in Taraba floods

Posted by admin Headlines, State News, Taraba Thursday, September 6th, 2012

No fewer than five people were confirmed dead and more than 50 persons declared missing following torrential rains and flooding in Lau, Karim-Lamido and Gassol Local Government of Taraba.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday, the chairmen of the affected councils also said crops and livestock worth millions of Naira were washed away by the flood.

NAN learnt that three persons died in Lau and two in Karim-Lamido councils respectively.

Chairman of Gassol Local Government, Alhaji Tukura Bashir, said such a disaster had not been witnessed in the area in the past five decades.

Bashir said villagers on the banks of the River Benue, the major cause of the devastation, had seen many copses floating on the river.

Chairman of Lau, Mr. Anthony Danburam, and his Karim-Lamido counterpart, Mr. Idi Mali, both confirmed that several people were also displaced.

NAN reports that in all the affected councils, thousands of people were displaced and farmlands submerged.

The development raised fears of food shortage due to the loss of crops such as rice, maize and beans, among others to floods across Taraba in the past one month.

The council chairmen and farmers called for urgent intervention by the National Emergency Management Agency, the state government and individuals.

They said the call for assistance had become necessary because the magnitude of the devastation was beyond the capacity of the councils.

via Punch

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