Flood: 200 Communities Submerged, 2m People Displaced in Kogi

The Kogi State Government says ravaging flood has submerged over 200 communities and displaced over two million people in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed this on Monday at Kotonkarfe in Kogi Local Government Area of the state, saying, a major “humanitarian crisis is brewing in the state.”

He said the communities in the nine local government areas affected by the water flood include Kogi, Lokoja, Adavi, Ofu, Ajaokuta, Idah and  Ibaji, Igalamela and Omalla.

The state government called on  the Federal Government and international donor agencies to come to the aid of the state to cushion the attendant hardships.

“The National Emergency Management Agency cannot afford to wait any longer, as the state is already overwhelmed.

“We are in emergency situation at the moment. This is sad. The flood disaster here is devastating and over 200 communities have already been submerged and close to two million people displaced.

“As we speak, nine of the 21 Local Government Areas in the state are affected which is almost 50% of the number of Local Government Areas.

“We have opened about 68 IDP camps but they can’t hold that massive population. Schools, hospitals and other infrastructure have been destroyed completely,” he said .

He added that the aged, women and little children were in distress. He however said no life was lost yet because of early warning alert and enlightenment plan.

The state government stressed further that huge resources were being spent daily, but they were inadequate, calling  on the federal government, non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to come to its aid.

The commissioner noted that the government had set up a flood disaster response team under the leadership of the deputy governor of the state, assuring the victims of the government’s support in the face of the natural disaster.(Agency Report)