We’re Overwhelmed By Scale Of Flooding In Jigawa, SEMA Laments

By Mohammed Abubakar, Dutse

The death toll from the floods in Jigawa state has risen to 51 as residents continue to recover from the havoc wreaked by the menace.

The Executive Secretary of the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA) Sani Yusuf Babura, who confirmed this to reporters in Dutse on Tuesday, noted his office has been receiving reports of continuous flooding in various parts of the state.

The official confirmed that his agency has been overwhelmed by the scale of flooding across the state, adding that the scale of rainfall this year has not been seen in the last years.

According to him, about 2,051 people have been displaced in Karnaya village in Dutse, the state capital.

Reports said apart from Karnaya, other parts of Dutse said to be affected included Yargaba, Kudai. The SEMA boss hinted on the possibility of relocating the villagers of Karnaya to a plain land along Ringim road, where their safety can be guaranteed.

“The state government is planning to relocate 404 mothers with their children numbering about 1,334 to the Warwade Internally Displaced Camp, while the 313 men will continue to live at the primary school in the village until the flood subsides,” Sani said.

He stated that the state government has forwarded a report to the federal government seeking support in the management of the disaster.

“We have forwarded a report to the federal government because this problem is beyond our capacity.

“We need serious intervention. As I’m talking to you now more towns are becoming flooded and multiple bridges have completely collapsed. Drivers should be very careful while driving,” he added.

Speaking to reporters on Monday on behalf of the village head of Karnaya, Bala Adamu said, especially women, children and the elder ones are passing through harsh condition for the past three days duty to lack of food and place to sleep respectively.

Adamu said even though, some relief materials were brought by government officials and individuals, such as rice, maize, millet, gari and ‘kulikuli’ local groundnut cake, bread respectively, but they still need more assistance.

Sani Baranda whose three wives and 15 children are presently taking refuge in a public school at Karnaya said, his entire house of seven rooms had been washed away completely and has no where to go to at the moment.

However, the two days torrential rain has also washed away the two major bridges that linked Jigawa state with Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba states.

Presently, the motorists plying the road to Bauchi and other states in the northeast, have to pass through the Kano/Maiduguri express to Azare, and Darazo in Bauchi state before reaching their destinations

Our reporter observed that even the Kano/Maiduguri express is almost cut off by the flood at Karnaya. The motorists are presently using only one lane, causing serious hold up along Maiduguri road.