I left Maiduguri Monday evening and I was already worried because so many residents were expressing fears that a serious flood was imminent. It came that same night flooding a significant part of the city but also large parts of the Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States. The Borno State governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum announced that over one million people have been affected as water completely flooded the area. Sewages were inundated and corpses are floating raising a significant fear of the rapid spread of water borne diseases. Meanwhile search and rescue teams have been deployed in operations across affected communities to determine the quantum of loss of lives and property.
Persistent heavy rainfall and release of water from a dam in Cameroon had overwhelmed Alau dam, which overflowed into the city. Governor Zulum assured residents that the Alau Dam would be reconstructed and retrofitted to contain its volume, while illegal structures on waterways and flood prone…