A prolonged downpour on Monday submerged several houses and streets across Makurdi, the Benue State capital, leaving residents struggling with floodwaters and commuters stranded.
The rainfall, which lasted for more than nine hours after beginning in the early hours of Monday, affected several parts of the city, including Achussa, New GRA, areas behind Radio Benue, Nyiman, Idye, Naka Road, North Bank, Ankpa Quarters, Tilley Gyado-Terwase Agbadu, Wurukum and Wadata.
Residents in some of the affected communities said the floodwater entered their homes, damaging household belongings and food items, while motorists and other commuters were forced to navigate flooded roads.
Our reporter who visited some of the affected areas observed that residential buildings and business premises around ongoing construction sites and locations close to riverbanks were among those badly impacted by the flooding.
A resident, Agbo Benedict, attributed the situation partly to blocked drainage systems linked to ongoing road construction, urging Governor Hyacinth Alia to instruct contractors to clear the blocked channels and restore the free movement of water.
Agbo said indiscriminate closure of roads and drainage channels by construction companies had contributed to the flooding.
Another resident, Angela Ortyon, said the situation could have been more severe without some of the major drainage projects already constructed by the government.
She, however, noted that the numerous construction activities across the metropolis may have worsened flooding in areas where drainage channels had been blocked to facilitate construction work.
Meanwhile, the Information Officer of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Terna Ager, confirmed that the agency had received reports of flooding in Achussa.
Ager, however, said officials of the agency had not yet visited the affected community to conduct an assessment of the situation.