By Abdu Lauya
Grief and uncertainty hang over several communities in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State following a devastating flood that struck after ten hours of uninterrupted rainfall on Sunday, July 27, 2025.
Residents of areas such as Tashan Sani, Shagari Phase 2, Sabon Pegi, Anguwan Tabo, Modire, Ummare, Yolde-Pate, Sanda Fadama 2, and Ibnu Abbas woke up to scenes of chaos, with murky waters swallowing homes, displacing families, and sweeping away personal belongings.
At least five persons have been confirmed dead and fifty-five others injured, according to emergency response teams on ground. Many of the injured are receiving treatment at nearby health facilities, though health workers say resources are already stretched thin.
Among the dead is a 10-year-old girl identified as Hauwa’u, who was swept away while attempting to retrieve a cooking pot from their flooded compound in Sabon Pegi.
Her mother, Fatima, who wept uncontrollably, said the girl only wanted to help and that they did not realize the water had reached that part of the house until it was too late.
In Anguwan Tabo, Mallam Usman, a retired civil servant, stood knee-deep in water surveying the wreckage of his home.
Usman told Eye Reporters that this was the third major flood in five years, but described the latest as the worst yet. Usman expressed frustration and said residents are growing weary of repeated losses.
The flood also destroyed roads, bridges, farmlands, and electrical installations, rendering several neighborhoods inaccessible. Power outages were reported across many parts of the local government, with many residents forced to sleep outside in makeshift shelters.
Local government officials have confirmed the flooding as one of the worst in recent years and have appealed for urgent intervention from the state and federal governments.
While flooding during the rainy season is not new in Adamawa, residents and experts point to poor drainage systems, unregulated housing developments, and delayed government response as factors worsening the impact.
Speaking to Eye Reporters on phone, an environmentalist, Musa Dantata, noted that changing rainfall patterns due to climate change require urgent adaptation.
He warned that more communities remain vulnerable if proactive measures are not implemented, citing serious gaps in urban planning and emergency preparedness.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has since deployed assessment teams to the affected areas.
MEMA spokesperson, Halima Goni, confirmed to Eye Reporters that relief materials were being mobilized but did not give a specific timeline.
For many in Yola South, the immediate concern is survival, salvaging what’s left and finding food, shelter, and safety for their families. But residents say the broader question of long-term protection from recurring floods remains unaddressed.
Also speaking to Eye Reporters, a community leader, Alhaji Abdullahi in Yolde-Pate summed up the shared sentiment, saying they are not asking for much, just to live without fear every time the rains come.
