Borno flood: One million people affected, says Gov Zulum

Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, says no fewer than one million people were affected by the flood which ravaged the state capital on Tuesday.

Zulum said this while distributing cash and cooked food to displaced persons taking refuge in Bukassi camp, Maiduguri.

He said Health Emergency Committee had been constituted to prevent flood-related epidemics in Maiduguri and Jere city.

The Governor said, “You can see how water completely flooded the area, sewages were completely flooded, that means waterborne diseases would be transmitted but Insha Allah we should get over it.

“As of now, we are yet to ascertain the extent of damage, but about one fourth of the entire Maiduguri is flooded with water.

“The population affected is up to one million, what we are doing this morning is to provide immediate succour, which is good and non food items.”

He explained that a search and rescue team begun operations across affected communities to determine the quantum of loss on lives and property .

“Data would collated of affected persons, immediately,” he added.

Zulum said he received N3 billion flood intervention fund from the Federal Government, which would be expended on addressing the challenges confronting the flood victims.

Speaking on the cause of the flood, Zulum said the situation was compounded by climate change that caused heavy downpour being experienced this season.

He said the flood overwhelmed Alau dam, which overflowed into the city and the water volume released from other dam in Cameroon.

The Governor assured that the Alau Dam would be reconstructed and retrofitted to contain its volume, while illegal structures on waterways and flood prone locations would be demolished.