82,136 persons displaced, 1,689 houses submerged by flood in Benue

No fewer 82,136 people have so far been rendered homeless and over 1,689 houses submerged by flooding in over 25 communities in Makurdi, the state capital, the State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA) has said.
This is just as Governor Samuel Ortom has announced the designation of camps for persons displaced by the disaster in parts of Makurdi metropolis.
Benue state Executive Secretary of SEMA, Mr. Boniface Ortese, who disclosed this in a chat with New Telegraph in Makurdi said, so far a total of 2,969 households have been affected.
He listed some of the areas worse hit to include Achusa, Idye, Welfare Quarters, Mobile Barracks, New Kanshio Layout, Wadata market, Wurukum market, Gyado villa, Kucha Utebe, Breweries, Nyiman layout, Behind Civil Service Commission, Radio Benue, Industrial layout, BIPC quarters, Uniagric road, Katungu, Genabe, Behind Officon, Uniagric study center, Behind GT Bank, Wadata old prison, Agboughul-wadata and Demekpe communities.
Mr. Ortese said a team from the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, were due to visit the state for an on the spot assessment of the affected areas and report same to the federal government for necessary action, adding that more areas that have been affected would be released to the media.
Meanwhile, Governor Ortom announced the opening of the camps in an interview with newsmen after a second tour of flood ravaged areas in Makurdi, the State capital.
He stated that the Makurdi Ultra-Modern International Market and a Presidential Building at Agan in North Bank, also in Makurdi would serve as temporary shelter for displaced persons.
The Governor while assuring the displaced persons of government support said, a committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abouno with the Executive Secretary of the SEMA, Mr. Boniface Ortese as Secretary had already been constituted to ensure the success of measures put in place by the government to mitigate the effect of the flood.
According to him, NEMA had also been contacted and was being expected in the state for an on-the-spot assessment and provision of relief to displaced persons, stressing that the presidency had also been contacted for intervention.
Governor Ortom directed the state Urban Development Board and the Ministry of Water Resources and Environment to carry out proper supervision with a view to ensuring that people do not encroach on drainage channels, stressing that refuse be dumped only at designated areas to avoid littering the streets and blocking drainages.
As a long term preventive measure, the Governor assured that government would complete the drainage channel that was started in 2004 to empty water into River Benue, adding that if completed, it would go a long way in addressing the challenge.