JOS, Nigeria, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least one million people have been displaced by the recent floods that ravaged the north- central region of Nigeria, an official said Wednesday.
Zonal coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the north-central region Mohammed Abdulsalami said the response agency had established 36 camps across the six states of the region, to accommodate such internally displaced persons.
"The worst hit was Kogi State, closely followed by Benue State. The two states had the worst cases because of their positioning along the River Niger and River Benue. In fact, in the case of Kogi, many people have even fled to parts of Anambra State located in the southeast region, but we have followed them and established camps there also," he said.
The emergency official said 300 people were confirmed killed in the north-central Nigeria floods, while farmlands, houses, roads and bridges were destroyed in addition to numerous livestock that were killed.
"Many people are still missing and we still receive distress calls from communities in danger of being submerged," he added.
While commending respective state governments for working with NEMA to assist the affected persons, Abdulsalami said relief materials must reach victims directly, unlike in the past when the items were routed through traditional rulers and community leaders.
Describing the flood as colossal, the NEMA official mentioned Plateau, Nasarawa, Kwara, and Niger as other north-central states badly hit by the flood.
On Tuesday, the Nigerian parliament went through a bill for an Act to establish the Coastal Erosion and Flood Control Commission. The bill seeks to provide for the establishment of the coastal erosion and flood control commission as weather experts and the federal ministry of environment have predicted heavier downpours in the coming days.
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