President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the recent flood disaster.
In the North West state, the President, who arrived in Abuja on Sunday night from London, would evaluate the impact of the flood on residential houses, hospitals, markets, schools, and other public facilities.
In a video posted on X, the president’s aircraft landed at the Maiduguri International Airport and was received by Governor Babagana Zulum and other government officials.
President Tinubu had earlier expressed deep concerns over the flooding and tasked relevant government agencies to expedite rescue efforts. He also called for the immediate evacuation of residents in communities overtaken by floods.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency said nearly half of Maiduguri was submerged in water after the Alau Dam, a critical infrastructure designed to regulate water flow and provide irrigation and drinking water, overflowed its seams following heavy rainfall, which led to the town’s worst flooding in 30 years, according to the United Nations Human Rights Refugee Council and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council residents.
NEMA said more than 23,000 households have been hit by the rapid rise of waters following the weekend rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, 20km south of Maiduguri.
READ ALSO: FG may upgrade Alau Dam to tackle persistent flooding in Borno State
The Agency has similarly deployed more staff from other zonal offices to assist in the intervention activities ongoing in the flooded areas in Borno State.
NEMA said staff from Yola, Gombe, Jos, and the Abuja offices have been deployed to Maiduguri because of the overwhelming situation.
Reports also indicate the water had receded as of Wednesday after 70 per cent of Maiduguri was submerged by the fast-moving waters, according to NEMA, which ravaged major city locations, including the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Umar Ibn Garbai El-Kanemi; the state secretariat, post office, cemetery, and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
The flood also washed away 80 per cent of the animals at the Sanda Kyarimi Park Zoo and damaged houses, schools, as well as commercial and worship centres.
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