Over 200,000 displaced as State goes underwater [Photos]

Makurdi, the Benue State capital, has now gone underwater following torrential rainfall in the last 48hours.

Social media users have been putting up pictures of swathes of the capital submerged.

Some residents of Makurdi have told Pulse over the phone that there’s been no concerted federal government deployed rescue operation at the time of filing this.

There's also been no relief materials from the federal government as well, at this time.

However, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom has announced the opening of two camps for the displaced.

Ortom said his administration will do everything possible to provide minimum comfort to all displaced persons while in camps.

He added that “as you can see, the level of flood water is increasing, more houses are being submerged and more of our people are displaced.

“We hope Federal Government will come to our aid as soon as possible; the flood committee headed by my deputy will ensure that victims have minimum comfort while in the camps”.

ALSO READ: Benue Government opens 2 camps for flood victims

Makurdi is not the only town being swept away by the rains in Benue. Several other communities in the north central State have also been washed away as the River Benue overflows its banks.

The Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet)had forecasttorrential rainfall, extreme flooding and severe thunderstorms for most States in Nigeria in the coming days.

The Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) says over 110,000 people in 24 communities have been displaced by the floods.

Unofficial sources put the number of the displaced in Benue at over 200,000.

Mr. Boniface Ortese who is the Chief Executive Secretary of SEMA says over 2, 769 households have been affected.