Following heavy rainfall in the last three days in Lokoja, the state capital of Kogi State, several houses have been submerged as the River Niger is building up.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has advised people living in flood-prone areas in Kogi State to vacate their houses anytime from now.
When our correspondent visited some areas in Lokoja on Tuesday, houses built along the river like Gadumo, Kpata, Poroka, Nataco and Ganaja areas have been submerged by the floods.
The main road linking Lokoja- Ajaokuta is almost consumed by the flood. Motorists now make use of one lane as the flood has already taken over the other lane of the road.
Some affected victims who spoke with our correspondent lamented that they have to move their belongings to another place to avoid total loss of their properties.
According to one Mr Omale Shuaibu, he said he lost some of his properties to the flood saying that presently he doesn’t know where to move his remaining property to.
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Also speaking, Mrs Aisha Abdullahi said they have to look for a way out to avoid their properties being destroyed by the flood.
She stated that they have to sleep in one of their family houses and presently trying to move their properties to different locations.
In Koton-Karfe headquarter of Kogi local government council, many houses have been submerged by the flood.
During a spot assessment to the community on Tuesday by our correspondent, over fifty houses including a state high court have been submerged by the flood.
Mallam Shehu Usman while speaking with our correspondent said with the situation of thing now many houses will be submerged by the flood.
He added that they have to relocate to higher ground to avoid the incoming flood.
Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), had advised people living in flood-prone areas in Kogi State to vacate their houses anytime from now.
The agency’s Head of Abuja Area Operation Office, Mr Bitrus Samuel, gave the advice in Lokoja during a sensitisation campaign for people living in flood-prone communities in the state.
He asked the people to start packing their personal effects as the country would soon start experiencing heavy rainfall as predicted by relevant government agencies.
Samuel urged them to group themselves to respond to the flood and identify nearby highlands that they can relocate to in case of floods to minimise loss of lives and property.
He warned the people against resisting relocation in their own interest, saying that camps were already being prepared for those of them that would be displaced.
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