… 12,000 hectares of farmlands washed away in Jigawa, 976 hectares in Kano 

…15,000 people displaced in Jigawa, 313 others in Kano

By Bashir Bello, Kano

No fewer than 68 persons have reportedly lost their lives to floods recorded in Kano and Jigawa states since the beginning of rainfall in July.

Giving a breakdown of the number of casualties, the Executive Secretary, Kano State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Isyaku Kubarachi, puts the figure of casualties recorded in the state at 31. At the same time, his counterpart, the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Haruna Mairiga, said the death toll hit 37.

Kubarachi, who confirmed this while speaking to newsmen in Kano, said the flood, which affected about 156 communities across 21 Local Government areas of the state, also left 135 persons sustaining injuries.

The Executive Secretary further said the flood also destroyed 5,280 houses, with 31,818 persons affected and 313 persons displaced.

According to him, “Between July 11th and yesterday (Tuesday), we received reports of flooding, and we are still receiving reports. So far, 31,818 people have been affected, and 5,280 houses have been destroyed by the flood. The disaster has also led to the destruction of 2,518 farmlands, covering 976 hectares of land, and 31 lives were lost while 135 sustained injuries.

“The disaster was a result of heavy downpours, and most of the affected houses were mud houses sitting along waterways.
 

“Most of the houses were mud houses built on places that water passes through. Someone would be sleeping, and without envisaging that the building would collapse, it will eventually happen.

“The flood, which was earlier predicted to affect 14 LGAs, had affected 21 including Tudun Wada, Wudil, Ajingi, Gwale, Nassarawa, Dala, Tarauni, Dawakin-Tofa, Dambatta LGAs, and Gwarzo, among others.

“The state is working on providing aid to all 21 local government areas affected by the flood and hopes for a positive outcome soon. Currently the affected persons are residing with their neighbors and relatives,” Kubarachi said.

In a related development, in a phone interview with Vanguard, the Executive Secretary, Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Haruna Mairiga said death toll from the heavy downpour resultant of flooding has risen to 37 in the state.

Dr. Mairiga said the flood has also left 15,000 persons displaced, while 12,000 hectares of cultivated farmlands were washed away.

He said the flood affected 17 local government areas out of 27 LGAs that made up the state.

According to him, “we started experiencing flooding since July, and we are not yet in the middle of the rainy season. We have recorded flooding in 17 out of the 27 LGAs that make up Jigawa State.

“Death toll hits 37 as a result of the flood, 15,000 people displaced and currently taking refuge at our schools as the government has provided them bedding (mats) and blankets.

“Similarly, 12,000 hectares of cultivated farmlands awaiting harvest were washed away,” Dr. Mairiga said.