At least five people have been confirmed dead and 55 others injured after a devastating flood swept through parts of Yola in Adamawa State, following several hours of relentless rainfall that began in the early hours of Sunday.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which disclosed the development, said the disaster affected both Yola North and Yola South local government areas, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.
Head of NEMA Operations in Yola, Ladan Ayuba, confirmed five persons dead and 55 others injured. He also said rescue efforts were ongoing and that the injured were receiving treatment at Modibbo Adama Teaching Hospital in Yola.
The torrential rain, which began before dawn and lasted for several hours, submerged homes and farmlands and displaced dozens of families. Electricity was also cut off in affected areas as floodwaters surged into residential buildings.
Several communities were hit hard, including Tashan Sani, Shagari Phase II, Sabon Pegi, Anguwan Tabo, Modire, Ummare, Yolde-Pate, Sanda Fadama II, Ibnu Abbas, and Yola Bye Pass.
In Shagari Low Cost and Sabon Pegi, the flooding was particularly severe. Entire neighborhoods were submerged. Many residents fled in panic, leaving their belongings behind as the rising water forced them out of their homes.
The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), alongside the Nigerian Red Cross and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has joined NEMA in ongoing rescue operations to reach affected households and provide immediate relief.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Adamawa State Government has set up two temporary camps to accommodate displaced persons. The facilities, located at Aliyu Mustapha College and Fatudde Girei Secondary School in Yola, are now serving as shelters while profiling and support measures are being organized for those in need.
Efforts continue to assess the full scale of the damage as authorities call for calm and warn residents in flood-prone areas to remain alert amid forecasts of more rain in the coming days.
Deputy Governor Professor Kaletapwa Farauta led a team comprising representatives from security agencies, the Red Cross, and both state and federal emergency agencies on a visit to the flood-affected areas to assess the extent of the damage.
They also visited the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital, where some of the injured are receiving treatment, to commiserate with the victims.
NEMA, working in partnership with other agencies, has intensified humanitarian efforts, including the provision ofessential supplies, to mitigate the impact of the disaster on affected communities.
