Trapped by Rising Waters: Flood Devastates Maiduguri as Residents Flee in Desperation
A catastrophic flood has engulfed Maiduguri following the collapse of the Alau Dam, leaving vast sections of the town submerged and thousands of residents displaced.
Describing the situation as “terrible,” Mr. Barkindo Mohammed, Director General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), revealed the ongoing challenges posed by the floodwaters.
Early Tuesday morning, the dam’s collapse unleashed torrents of water, which have steadily submerged various wards in the town, sending desperate residents searching for refuge. By Wednesday, SEMA had launched rescue operations and distributed sandbags to mitigate the devastation.
“Just now, we went for a rescue and proceeded to distribute sandbags in Gozari. As I am talking to you now, I am trapped; we came to rescue some people, and now we are trapped with my staff,” Mohammed stated.
The disaster has left hundreds of people stranded on the streets, many huddled under tree shades with their families, with no place to go.
Musa Abbas, a father of six, expressed his helplessness as he recounted how the flood had cut off access to his relatives in the Bulumkutu area.
“The bridge is now submerged; I can’t cross, and my brothers can only come for me. We will sleep here and continue to pray the rain won’t come,” Abbas lamented.
As rescue efforts continue, the flooding crisis highlights the urgent need for relief, shelter, and further intervention to safeguard the lives of Maiduguri’s residents. The full scale of the disaster is yet to be determined, as rising water levels threaten more areas.
