Gabriel Enenche —

The Nigerian, President Muhammadu Buhari trough his spokesman, Garba Shehu yesterday expressed sadness at the level of havoc caused by flood in Bayelsa state, calling on emergency bodies to provide the necessary assistance to families of victims.

According to reports by the state government, 700,000 persons have been displaced in about 300 communities and villages in five of the state’s eight local government areas that were submerged in water due to rains causing the floods.

Shehu quoted the president as directing that all federal agencies dealing with rescue and disaster management offer all needed assistance to Bayelsa as the authorities in the state continued to take steps to help people hit by the floods.

Buhari blamed buildings on water channels, disregard for early warning by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the changes to weather caused by climate change as being the major causes of the floods across the country.

He noted that the floods had so far hit 33 of the nation’s 36 states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which has not been spared either.

The president also directed all concerned to work for the restoration of normalcy throughout the affected parts of the federation.