By Atoyebi Nike
At least five people have died and 55 others were injured in Yola, Adamawa State, after a flood swept through several communities on Sunday, July 27. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed the figures on Monday.
Ladan Ayuba, NEMA’s Head of Operations in Yola, said the injured victims are currently receiving treatment at the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital.
NEMA’s national spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel, also confirmed the fatalities and added that a team from the agency is on ground to support response efforts. He promised further updates as assessments continue.
Meanwhile, local residents claim the actual death toll is significantly higher, with some putting the number of casualties at over 40.
The flooding, triggered by heavy rainfall, submerged homes and forced mass evacuations in neighbourhoods such as Sabon Pegi, Shagari Phase II, Anguwan Tabo, Tashan Sani, Modire, Ummare, Ibnu Abbas, and Yolde-Pate. Rescue teams reportedly used boats to evacuate stranded residents.
Emergency responders, including personnel from the Red Cross, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), are working alongside NEMA to assist victims and coordinate rescue operations.
Displaced residents are currently seeking shelter in emergency camps and public school buildings.
Adamawa State Deputy Governor, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, visited the affected areas and the hospital treating the injured. She expressed deep concern over the scale of destruction and directed immediate provision of temporary shelters and relief materials.
“The government will ensure the victims receive food, clothing, and medical care without delay,” Farauta said.
In June, NEMA had warned that 15 states, including Adamawa, were at high risk of flooding. As part of preventive measures, the agency deployed teams to raise public awareness and urged residents to relocate from flood-prone areas.
Despite these warnings, many communities remain vulnerable. In a similar incident in May, over 200 people were reported dead in Niger State after severe flooding in Mokwa LGA. More than 1,000 residents were declared missing in that tragedy, many of whom lived in gully erosion zones.
