Flood Kills 50, Destroys Houses In Jigawa

Following more torrential rainfall in Jigawa State this month, flooding in the state has so far killed 50 people while over 8,000 people have been displaced and houses destroyed.

LEADERSHIP reports that flooding is one of the perennial disasters killing people, displacing thousands and destroying properties worth millions of naira in the state annually.

Our correspondent reports that from the middle of July last month to this month the flooding disaster has affected all the 27 local government areas of the state.

According to the executive secretary Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA) Alhaji Yusif Sani Babura, over 10,000 people were displaced from across the state and more casualties are expected as the rainstorm and flooding  continue to wreak havoc in the state.

He added that some of the displaced persons are now living at various camps established by government while some are living in the houses of their brothers, sisters and other philanthropists in the communities.

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Yusif Babura added that, SEMA has already started distributing relief materials to the affected persons even as the assessment of the situation is ongoing. Also they have embarked on more public enlightenment on the need for people to relocate from the flood prone areas particularly communities along Hadejia River Valley.

LEADERSHIP had recently received a copy of letter sent to Jigawa State government by Hadejia Jama’are River Basing Development Authority, announcing its preparation to release excess water from Tiga Dam. The release of such volume of water will certainly expand the flooding and more communities will be affected.

Beside the residents, many public places were also affected by the flood and rainstorm. These included hospitals, roads, schools, communication antennas and other public properties.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had also delivered some relief materials to ease the difficulties faced by the displaced persons and other victims of the flood.

The materials distributed to the victims in six  local government areas of the state namely, Hadejia, Kirikasamma, Kafinhausa, Birniwa, Kaugama and Malammadori, included,  7,650 bags of rice, 6,450 bags of maize, 950 of 20ltr vegetable oil, 530 cartons of seasoning, 50 bags of 20kg salt, 6,000 bags of cement, 4,400 bundles of roofing sheet, 900 bags of 3inch nail, 1,100 packets of zinc nail, 2,900 pieces of ceiling board, 2,900 pieces of blanket and 5,900 pieces of nylon mat.

The director-general  NEMA,  Mr Mustapha Habib, noted that floods are among the most devastating natural disasters in the world, claiming more lives and causing more property damage than any other natural disaster.

He said as they continue to assess the situation in Jigawa State more relief materials will be delivered to the victims, and called on general public to abide by the protection measures offered by experts to save their lives and properties against the disasters.

The state government has also directed the Ministry of Water Resources and Ministry of Health to as matter of emergency to go and repair all their facilities damaged by the flood and rainstorm to avoid cholera outbreak and other related diseases.