3 confirmed dead in Adamawa flood

 “The incident occurred following the release of water form Lagdo Dam in the Cameroon Republic on Saturday,'' Mr Shadrack Barub, the Secretary of  Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said.

He added that ``during assessment tour by the agency in some of the affected areas, the agency received three death cases, so far, while many are still missing and thousands of people have been rendered homeless.''

Barub said that the most-hit areas included Fufore, Girei ,Yola South, Yola North, Demsa, Numan, Lamurde, Sheleng, Michika, Guyuk and Ganye local government areas.

He also said that farm products, domestic animals, houses and other valuables worth billions of Naira were destroyed.

Barub, who said about 3,000 internally-displaced persons had been camped across the state, urged the affected communities to remain calm as the agency and NEMA were making efforts to reach them.

Eyewitnesses from the affected communities, who preferred anonymity, had earlier told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that 10 persons were reported dead and that some of their families were still missing.

Meanwhile, the Adamawa Government has set up a quick response committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Kobis Aris, to take further measures on the incident.

Aris told journalists on Sunday in Yola that the measures included conduct of public enlightenment and ascertaining the level of the flood.

He said that information had reached the state government that due to excessive rainfall this year the Lagdo Dam overflowed its banks.

He advised all residents of the flood- prone region along the River Benue basin to relocate to safer areas