29 cows drown as flood washes away bridges, farms in Plateau

The impending flood warning by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has begun to take its toll on residents of Plateau State as Tuesday night downpour wreaked havoc on residents of Jos East Local Council of the state.

A Fulani settlement in the council was washed away by flood, including 29 cows. The Fulanis had to climb trees to escape being washed away by the flood, but could do nothing to help their cows from the deluge.

Several bridges along Fobor-Angware Road and that of Maza Road were not spared as they got washed off too by the flood. The affected bridges yesterday made it impossible for vehicular movement in and out of the council.

According to the House of Assembly member representing Jos East constituency in the state House of Assembly, Joshua Madaki, “the flood caused heavy losses to herdsmen and farmers in the council. Quantifying the damage caused by the flood would run into hundreds of million naira.

“After the rain subsided, owners of the cows followed the direction of the flood from Angware to Federe where they discovered the bodies of the 29 cows. The flood also washed away many farms and food crops, especially yam, rice and maize farms,” he said.

Continuing, Madaki said: “From the damage I saw, the affected farmers and pastoralists will require government assistance to recover their losses, I am therefore soliciting for government’s assistance on their behalf. The huge losses are beyond what the local authority can handle.”