Several areas of Makurdi in Benue State experienced severe flooding after a heavy downpour that lasted over nine hours on Monday. The rain, which began at around 3 a.m. and continued until noon, affected many neighborhoods, including Gyado Villa, Wadata, Wurukum, Achussa, and parts of North Bank.
Our correspondent, who toured the town, observed that residents in low-lying, riverine areas were hardest hit, especially those who had ignored earlier warnings from the state government to relocate. The government had urged people living in flood-prone zones to move to designated safe locations within the city to avoid disaster.
During visits to the affected areas, residents were seen attempting to salvage their belongings from flooded homes. One resident of Wadata, identified as Tondo, said he and his family were awakened by the rain and tried to save what they could from the rising waters. When asked why they hadn’t relocated to safer areas, Tondo explained that they believed they would escape the worst of the flooding.
The Executive Secretary of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), James Iorpuu, assured that the agency was prepared to provide aid to those impacted by the floods. Speaking through the agency’s Information Officer, Terna Ager, Iorpuu noted that many residents from areas like Gaadi and Wadata had already moved to camps set up in Wadata and along Gboko Road to seek refuge.
