Residents displaced as flood hits Maiduguri

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Post created on 11:31 am

 

 

Following the devastating flood in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state,many residents have fled their homes

The Alau Dam, which has been at full capacity for the past week, reportedly collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday.

The areas most affected include Fori, Galtimari, Gwange, and Bulabulin.

Several videos on social media show flood sweeping through streets, forcing many residents to desert their homes for higher plains.

Wild animals, including snakes, crocodiles and ostriches, were flooded out of their enclosures at the state zoo and into the streets.

In a statement on Tuesday, Usman Tar, the state commissioner for information and internal security, issued a flooding alert, urging the immediate evacuation of those living along the riverbanks.

Tar also urged residents of the affected areas to follow evacuation routes to ensure safe passage.

“Due to the unusually high volume of water this year, we urge all the residents living along the river bank to take immediate action to protect themselves and their properties,” he said.

“The Alau Dam water has broken down another channel that is currently destroying farms and the water is heading toward the river bank.”

NAN reports that the last time the dam collapsed was in 1994, which led to unprecedented flooding in Maiduguri, with nearly half of the town submerged.

(TheCable)