13,428 people are now homeless as a result of the floods in Taraba State.

Floods in Taraba have displaced 13,428 persons and left 30 communities submerged, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, said on Tuesday.

The head of public relations of the agency, Yushau Shuaib, who stated this in a statement, said the affected communities are situated in Ibi and Wukari Local Government Councils of the state.

He said some of the worst hit communities include Chinkai, Ando-yako, Warawa, Dampar, Ibi town, Badodo, Chaschangi, Isini, Mai itache, unguwan danbaki, Sai, Gungun Abdullahi, and Unguwan makeri.

Others are – Wazirin bannu, Sai Danpar-unguwan saraki, Unguwan Kabawa, Sarkin Noma, Unguwan Maisanko, Baruwa, and Unguwan Nufawa.

Mr. Shuaib said schools, hospitals, markets, farmlands and places of worship were affected by the flood that ravaged the communities.

The NEMA spokesman said while conducting a rapid response assessment tour of the councils, his agency “discovered that bridges linking various communities were cut off by the flood due to overflow of River Benue as well as the release of water from the Kiri Dam in Adamawa State and from Lagdo Dam in the Republic of Cameroun.”

Reacting to the situation, the traditional ruler of Ibi, Abubakar Danbawo, said that “for the past 38 years we have never witnessed a disaster of this magnitude that touched everything: places of worship, houses, roads and farmlands”.

Mr. Shuaib said NEMA officers are currently in camps in Danpar, Chinkai and Ibi registering the displaced persons and providing relief materials to them.