The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, has disclosed that four persons of the same family have perished in a flood in Potiskum town on Monday, August 16, 2021, following a heavy downpour.
Mohammed Goje, the Executive Secretary of the agency made the disclosure in Damaturu while giving an update on the flood disaster in Potiskum.
He said the four deceased, including an infant, died when their family house was washed away by the violent flood, noting that two out of the corpses were recovered, while the remaining two are still missing.
On some of the measures taken to prevent further loss of lives and destruction of property, the ES said a meeting was held with stakeholders and relevant Ministries Departments and Agencies for collaboration, partnership, Mapping, identifying, and classifying the downstream communities that needed protection.
“LGA identified a temporary site and already high-risk locations were relocated to the temporary settlement. This is aimed at protecting them to avoid more casualties as most of the houses affected by the flood in the ancient town were completely or partially damaged and on the same waterways”, he said.
According to him, the Household that loses family members and houses completely damaged were accommodated in a rented apartment within the neighbourhood. “This is to enable them conduct the religious rites and receive condolences associated with the loss.”
As SEMA response team continues working overnight to ensure the protection needs are met, Goje further advised households on waterways across the state to relocate to safer places as experts have reported high rainfall tendencies in some parts of Yobe State.
