The number of lives lost in the devastating flood that swept across parts of Adamawa State has increased to 25, according to officials of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA).
Rescue teams have continued recovery operations amid concerns over missing persons and growing humanitarian needs.
Dr. Celine Laori, Executive Secretary of ADSEMA and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, confirmed the updated death toll on Tuesday afternoon in an exclusive interview with PUNCH.
“As of now, the death toll has increased from 23 on Monday to 25 on Tuesday afternoon, but the rescue operation is still going on to recover the missing residents,” she stated.
Dr. Laori, who is actively involved in camp operations, added, “I am now an IDP myself, because I spend the entire day and part of the night in the camp to ensure everything is going as planned. The health of the IDP is paramount to the state government, so as head of ADSEMA, I must monitor all the operations in the camp.”
To streamline camp management, she revealed that the Namtari IDP camp has been merged with the Yelewa Primary School camp.
Relief efforts are being supported by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), UNICEF, and other humanitarian organizations, who have provided various supplies and services to residents displaced by the flood.
Dr. Laori acknowledged the state’s proactive measures: “Governor Ahmadu Fintiri took a proactive measure by releasing ₦700 million to ADSEMA to purchase relief materials ahead of the flooding season, as was announced by the federal government last month.”
“Without any stress, we are picking relief materials from our warehouse because the governor prepared for emergencies based on information from the federal government,” she said.
She further disclosed that arrangements are underway to provide financial support to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to aid their return to their communities and help them rebuild their lives.
