Death toll in Suleja flood disaster rises to 13

                              

The death toll in Suleja Local Council of Niger State where flood wreaked havoc at the weekend, has risen to 13 while three others are still missing. Four persons were also said to be unconscious, and are receiving treatment in Suleja General Hospital, as seven houses at Nasarawa area of Suleja have been submerged.

It was gathered that the head of the household of seven, Abubakar Saraki, survived; but his six children died. Meanwhile, the Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ibrahim Ahmed Inga, said out of the 11 that died in the Suleja flood disaster, eight bodies have been recovered. Inga said four areas were badly affected by last Saturday’s flood in Suleja.

He said 90 houses were destroyed, and no fewer than 500 people displaced; adding that there is the possibility of using primary schools in the area as temporary camps for survivors.

Asked how many farmlands were destroyed, the DG said the agency was yet to take the inventory until securing a camp for those affected is completed. Chairman of Suleja Local Council, Malam Abdullahi Maje, yesterday confirmed 10 persons missing and two bodies recovered in the flood.

Maje said 100 houses were affected in the incident, adding that eight houses were washed away in the flood, which followed 10 hours of heavy rainfall. Witnesses had said eight members of a family were suspected to have died in the flood, which affected Suleja and Tafa local councils. The head of the household was said to have survived but his two wives and six children were not lucky.

The flood affected many families with household effects floating in the water, as many people struggled to bale water out of their houses. Mr. Mohammed Mohammed, the District Police Officer in-charge of Division ‘A’ Police Station in Suleja, could not confirm the casualty figure but said his men had visited the flood scenes.

“The flood affected many people who built their houses along the river bank; many houses have been destroyed with unconfirmed number of deaths recorded. “Police are providing security around the scene so that hoodlums will not cart away victims’ property especially those lying outside,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malam Abdulkareem Samanja, the Village Head of Hayin Nasarawa-Iku in the nearby Tafa Local Council, decried the loss of property. He said he was still awaiting report from ward heads on the incident.

At Suleja General Hospital, Musliu Mohammed, a 17-year-old boy, recovered from the flood and brought into the hospital by sympathisers, was placed on admission.