Seven persons declared missing during the flood disaster in Mashegu and Magama Local Government Areas of Niger State, following the torrential rainfall that lasted for eleven hours between 2:00 am and 2:00 pm on Friday, 30th August, have been rescued alive by search and rescue teams set up by the State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA).
The Director General of NSEMA, Hon. Abdullahi Baba Arah, made this disclosure in a brief telephone interview with the Tribune Online on Tuesday in Minna.
He added that the rescued individuals were among the occupants and drivers of three vehicles that were swept away during the flood and were initially declared missing by the agency shortly after the heavy downpour subsided.
The search and rescue efforts were promptly initiated by NSEMA staff at the scenes of the disasters in the two council areas, which are separated by a large river at the boundaries of the Niger North Senatorial District of the state.
The NSEMA boss also pointed out that some businessmen and women who had established fish ponds on the riverbanks between Mashegu and Magama Local Government Areas are now counting their losses.
The flood caused the collapse of several fish ponds, washing away an estimated N700 million worth of fish.
This loss is in addition to the damage to over 89 houses, hundreds of hectares of farmland, and the three vehicles that were also washed away.
The affected communities are located in the environs of Sabon Pegi in Mashegu LGA and Nassarawa in Magama LGA.
It was recalled that the flood was caused by torrential rainfall that lasted through the early hours of Friday, 30th August (from 2:00 am to 12:00 pm).
As of the time of filing this report last weekend, seven people had been declared missing, over 89 houses were affected, hundreds of hectares of farmland were damaged, and three vehicles were washed away.
The affected communities were identified as being in the environs of Sabon Pegi in Mashegu LGA and Nassarawa in Magama LGA.
Meanwhile, search and rescue operations by NSEMA staff, volunteers, and local residents of riverine communities were still ongoing as of Tuesday in the two neighbouring local government areas of the state.
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