At least one hundred and thirty farmers in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State have been rendered stranded following a flash flood that wrecked havoc in their communities.

Our reporters gathered that the flood, which swept through no fewer than ten communities, destroyed many valuables including farmlands, bridges and crops.

Many residents who decried the situation called on the government and other public spirited individuals to come to their aid.

A statement issued on behalf of residents in the affected communities by Mr Mangna Wamyil, confirmed the development.

Mangna said “We received with sadness reports of a flood disaster resulting from heavy rainfall which affected parts of Panyam District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday 5th August, 2019.

“The large body of water swept through cultivated farmlands, destroying fully grown crops in Dangdai, Kwangkong, Changal, Kombili, Ajing, Larkas, and Washna villages in Panyam District also destroyed bridges in Ajing and Kombili villages of the same district.

“This unwelcome natural disaster left over 130 farmers devastated, as they would not be among farmers who would be bountifully harvesting their crops this year owing to the damage the flood wrecked on their farms. With it is also the helplessness and difficulty in transportation for the people in the villages whose bridges were affected.

“As concerned citizens, we are burdened by the suffering the flood has caused our people, and we wonder how they would be able to make ends meet, feed their families, and carter for their needs.

“To this end, therefore, we wish to call on the Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, and the Executive Chairman of Mangu Local Government Council Rt. Hon. Lawrence Danat, to come to the aid of the people of the Local Government Area, as we look to deal with this situation we were not prepared for.”

“The Senator representing Plateau Central Zone, Senator Hezekiah Dimka, and his colleague in the National Assembly, Member representing Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency, Hon. Solomon Maren, including Hon. Abdullahi Yanga, who represents Mangu Northeast Constituency in Plateau State House of Assembly, must rise to the occasion by swiftly identifying with the communities and people whose way of life came under attack by the element of nature. What is needed now is genuine physical support.”

“We wish to also call on the State and National Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA and NEMA) to quicken the response effort they have already initiated, to restore hope in the minds of the flood victims, to give them the assurance to move on,” the statement read.

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Flood destroys farmlands in Plateau