Every community in Bayelsa now an IDP camp for flood victims – Gov Diri

The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Duoye Diri, on Sunday expressed concern over the devastation caused by flooding across the country.

Diri, who spoke on a pre-recorded episode of Channels Television's Newsnight, said the state government had turned all elementary and secondary schools that were not underwater into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.

He also revealed that centres had been opened in Yenagoa to shelter displaced people.

The governor noted that the state government had through its task force and the State Emergency Management Agency started the distribution of supplies to help the public cope with the effects of flooding.

Diri said: “Every community in Bayelsa is an IDP camp. However in Yenagoa the capital city, we have designated some IDP camps. It is not an exaggeration, every community is an IDP camp.

“We have a place called the Oxbow Lake which was used as an event centre. Today, that place has been opened for IDPs and we have no less than 2,000 IDPs in that centres. We also have all primary and secondary schools that are not yet flooded have been used as IDP camps.

“That is why the Task Force, together with the State Emergency Management Agency keep distributing foodstuff to every local government and every community because no community is left out.”

Over 600 people had lost their lives and 1.3 million others displaced by flood in the country as of October 16.