An unknown number of children are still missing after a flood hit Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, on Saturday, July 10.

Hundreds were left homeless – including young children and elderly women – after the downpour that left at least 300 houses submerged and a number of farms washed away.

Residents were still mopping up and clearing debris this weeksPhotographs of the ravaged area showed submerged houses and shops, shanties washed away and bridges underwater. Residents said the heavy flood swept away two cars.

In some areas houses and shops remained flooded until Sunday afternoon.

Bridges and streets were also awash, residents said.

Residents told RNI reporter Muhammad Ali that the heavy downpour also affected the Lau, Karim Lamido, Gassol, Wukari and Ibi local government areas of the state, where houses were also flooded and some farmlands swamped.

One farmer said his rice farm was completely washed away and that everything that he had invested in for the year was gone. He said: “Farm crops and animals estimated at several millions of naira were lost. It is a disaster.”

Mustapha Muhammad, a resident of Jalingo, said everyone feared the worst because there were still children missing. They had searched for them, but no one knew of their whereabouts.

“The flood has resulted in the loss of many houses and animals worth millions of naira. But it is the children we are most worried about.”

He said a number of children had narrowly escaped death by being picked up and removed from their rooms before the building or roof collapsed.

Bulama Muhammad, also a resident of Jalingo, said the rain started late on Friday night but it had become heavier and heavier and by Saturday morning the town was flooded.

He said many were left homeless as their houses were submerged.

“They need urgent help, they have nowhere to stay,” he said. “It will take time and lots of money before things return to normal. We urgently need the federal and state governments to step in to help us.”

Shops and other buildings were also underwater and an unknown number of items – including food – were damaged or destroyed.

Residents said they woke up to find their homes filling with water from the flood. Some of the children had to be plucked from their beds and taken to safety.

One resident said he and his family had lost “all of our valuables”.

The Red Cross was providing emergency help to the worst-affected residents.