16 Died, 3,936 Displaced By Flood In Jigawa – SEMA

Sixteen persons have been killed, 3,986 displaced while over 2,744 hectares of farmland have been washed away by floods that ravaged communities across 10 local government areas of Jagawa State.

Recall that the Nigerian Metrological Agency (NiMet) had predicted the likelihood of the state to experience flooding and rainstorms this year.

The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr Haruna Mariga, revealed this while giving an update on the flood disasters that have so far affected 10 local government areas in the state.

Mariga explained that although the raining season is yet to reach its peak, the damages recorded so far were very alarming, fearing that the situation could aggravate as the water level keeps rising.

The SEMA chief noted that the state government, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have started distributing relief materials which included food items to the victims.

“As we continue assessing the level of damages in collaboration with NEMA, we are also taking more measures including public enlightenment, construction of embankments to minimise the damages that might have been caused by flooding in the state.”

Mariga said seven (7) temporary Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps have been established while some victims chose to take refuge at the homes of their family members that were not affected by rainstorm or flooding.

“Besides the local government emergency response team, the Jigawa State governor, Malam Umar Namadi has directed the establishment of such team across all the 280 wards for effective and timely response to any emergency call,” the ES stated.

He added that the state government has also stocked SEMA’s stores to ensure timely delivery of emergency relief materials to victims in anticipation of flooding incidents in all local government area of the state.