•Yola communities submerged, farmlands ruined, panic spreads
•As 13 corpses recovered, scores missing in Niger boat disaster
By Wole Mosadomi with agency report
YOLA—Chaos gripped Yola yesterday as deadly floods swept through parts of Adamawa State, leaving five persons dead, 55 injured, homes underwater, and entire communities in disarray.
Torrential rain, which began before dawn and lasted hours, battered Yola North and Yola South local government areas, turning streets into rivers and forcing families to flee in the dark.
Among the hardest-hit communities are Tashan Sani, Shagari Phase II, Sabon Pegi, Anguwan Tabo, Modire, Ummare, Yolde-Pate, Sanda Fadama II, and Ibnu Abbas, Yola Bye Pass, Sabon Pegi, and Yolde Pate
“Many lives were lost—mostly children. We are still searching,” said Furera Adamu, a resident of Sabon Pegi, her voice shaking.
In Shagari Low Cost and Sabon Pegi, entire neighborhoods vanished beneath murky waters. Residents escaped with only the clothes on their backs, taking refuge in nearby bushlands.
Electricity was cut off as floodwaters surged into homes. “We lost everything,” said one grief-stricken father. “The water came like a monster. We couldn’t save anything.”
The floods also ravaged farmlands, sparking fears of an impending food crisis. “This will affect the harvest. People are terrified,” another resident added.
Disease risk is growing rapidly as stagnant water and poor sanitation threaten outbreaks of cholera and typhoid.
Speaking on the incident, The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, confirmed that at least five people have died and 55 others injured after a devastating flood swept through parts of Yola, Adamawa State.
The agency’s Head of Operations in Yola, Mr. Ladan Ayuba, disclosed that all 55 injured victims are currently receiving treatment at the Modibbo Adama Teaching Hospital.
Officials of NEMA, the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, the Red Cross, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC were seen yesterday working round the clock on rescue and relief efforts.
Meanwhile, hundreds of displaced residents have taken refuge in emergency camps and primary schools as authorities race to restore order and provide relief materials.Bottom of Form
13corpses recovered in Niger boat mishap
Similarly, grief swept through Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State on Saturday after a boat carrying traders capsized, leaving at least 13 people dead and scores missing.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA confirmed the recovery of 13 bodies yesterday, warning that the death count could rise as frantic search and rescue efforts continue.
“So far, we have been able to recover 13 corpses while the search for other passengers is still on,” said NSEMA Director General, Abdullahi Arah. “We are yet to determine the cause of the mishap, but we will get the details later.”
According to NSEMA, there were 39 passengers on the boat, out of which 26 persons have so far been rescued. The 13 recovered corpses have already been buried.
Out of the 13 deaths, eight were women, three men, and two children.
The ill-fated boat, loaded with goods and traders heading to Zumba for the weekly market, capsized around Kwata village at about 11:45 a.m. Villagers described the scene as chaotic, with bodies and personal belongings scattered across the water.
Some passengers, including the boat operator, were rescued immediately. One survivor was treated at the General Hospital in Kuta and later discharged.
Local divers and volunteers continued their desperate search late into the night, hoping to find more survivors or retrieve additional bodies.
Although the cause of the accident has not been officially established, eyewitnesses blamed overloading and repeated disregard for safety regulations, a common problem on market days in the area.
Despite previous government interventions, including the distribution of life jackets by the Niger State Government, National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), and the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), enforcement of safety compliance has been weak.
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