Poor Drainage System not Lagdo Dam Caused Jalingo Flood

·        300 Houses, Farmlands Submerged as Flood Wreak Havoc

These are not best of times for  some families in  Jalingo and Yorro local governments areas of  Taraba state as  over 300 buildings have been submerged in a flood that ravaged several communities in the state.

Also farmers whose farms are located along the bank of River Benue in Taraba State are worried over  increase in the volume of water in the river.

Although no life was reportedly  lost but residents watched helplessly as business centres, vehicles, worship centres and schools were submerged by the flood.

 

 While residents are pointing  fingers at the release of water from Labdo dam in Cameroon,  the Nigerian Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) disclosed that poor drainage system, among other human factors were responsible for flood that has rendered many homeless in the state.

The Director General of the agency, Clement Nze in a statement indicated that the flood in Jalingo was caused by localised heavy downpour that occurred, Friday night, to early Saturday, in Mayo Goi area of Jalingo metropolis and some other parts of the state.

This was in response to reports in some news media claiming that the flood incident recorded in some parts of Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, was aggregated by the release of water from the Cameroonian Lagdo dam.

"Investigation conducted by the hydrological agency indicated that poor drainage system, building erected on flood paths, among other human factors, aggravated the flood and not release of water from Lagdo dam", Nze stated.

According to the statement, the annual flood outlook released earlier in the year by NIHSA also indicated that Taraba is among states with probable flood risk in the event of rainfall with high intense.

The statement, however, advised residents of Jalingo to take precautions in good time to avoid losses as many more states enter into the rainy season.

Meanwhile farmers in Yorro, Lau, Karim-Lamido, Gassol and Ardo-Kola local government areas said water has started submerging rice and maize farms, putting many of them in fear of possible losses of their livelihoods.

A farmer, Kabir Waziri, said they had noticed an increase in the volume of water in River Benue two days ago and is now overflowing its bank into their farms.

He said farmers, whose farms are located close to the rivers, are having sleepless nights as a result of fear of possible destruction of their crops by the flood.

According to him, it is alarming to see water submerging farms in July despite the fact that, under the yearly rain pattern in the state, it is in August and September that heavy rainfall is recorded.

"We have two months ahead to enter the period of heavy rainfall, but we are already witnessing more heavy rainfall now which is very alarming," he said.