Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
At least 1,020 residents have been affected and 278 shelters damaged after flash floods swept through six communities and an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Damaturu Local Government Area of Yobe State.
The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) disclosed the figures in a flash flood incident report released on Sunday, October 4, 2026, by its Director of Search and Rescue Operations, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Jalo.
According to the agency, the flooding followed heavy rainfall and affected 143 households across Lawanti Gana, Bulama Gremari, Kokari IDP Camp, Fulatari, Tsohuwar Kasuwa and Bulama Adam.
The Kokari IDP Camp recorded the highest number of affected households, with 48 households comprising 232 people affected and 63 shelters damaged.
Lawanti Gana recorded 30 affected households involving 249 people, while 68 shelters were damaged.
In Bulama Gremari, 18 households comprising 149 people were affected, with 41 shelters damaged. Fulatari recorded 17 affected households involving 141 people, while 38 shelters were damaged.
Tsohuwar Kasuwa recorded 16 affected households comprising 133 people, with 36 shelters damaged, while Bulama Adam had 14 affected households involving 116 people and 32 damaged shelters.
Despite the scale of the damage, SEMA said no deaths or injuries were recorded in the incident and that no public buildings were reported damaged.
The agency said it was prioritising the Kokari IDP Camp and the most vulnerable families as emergency response efforts continued.
“Yobe SEMA is actively coordinating with line MDAs and key partners to deliver immediate assistance, prioritising the Kokari IDP Camp and the most vulnerable families,” Jalo said.
SEMA also urged residents to remain vigilant as further rainfall could worsen the situation, advising those in vulnerable locations to move to higher ground if water levels rise.
The agency warned residents against entering flooded areas and contaminated waterways, while advising affected households to boil or treat drinking water and maintain proper hygiene to reduce the risk of water-borne diseases.
Residents were further encouraged to report additional damage, missing persons and urgent humanitarian needs, including food, water, shelter materials and medical assistance, to SEMA, local government emergency desks or the nearest relevant officials.
The agency also advised affected residents to secure valuables and important documents in dry and elevated places where possible and to cooperate with emergency and assessment teams.
The latest incident comes amid a wider pattern of flooding and severe weather in Yobe State this year. In August, SEMA reported that heavy rainfall had triggered flooding across communities in Damaturu, Nguru, Machina and Bursari local government areas, with emergency teams deployed to assess damage and humanitarian needs.
A broader Yobe flood assessment released earlier in August indicated that more than 34,500 people had been affected by tropical windstorms, heavy rainfall and flash floods across 15 local government areas since May. The agency also reported deaths, injuries and extensive damage to shelters and rooms during the wider period.
The latest Damaturu incident also comes against the backdrop of continuing water-related risks in the state. On Sunday, October 4, two children were reportedly swept away by a river in Dapchi community, Bursari Local Government Area. One of them, 14-year-old Goni Mustapha, had been recovered while search efforts for the second child were ongoing as of 5pm, according to SEMA.
SEMA has continued to caution residents, particularly those living near rivers and other water bodies, to exercise extreme caution during the rainy season.
The agency's latest flood assessment shows that while no fatalities were recorded in the Damaturu incident, hundreds of families have been left dealing with damaged shelters and displacement, with emergency authorities now focusing on immediate assistance to the worst-affected communities and vulnerable households.
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