Flood Disaster: Jigawa Govt Confirms Death of 16, Displacement of 3,936
From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
The Jigawa State government, through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), has confirmed the death of 16 people due to recent flooding, which has also displaced 3,986 residents and destroyed 2,744 hectares of farmland.
Speaking to the press, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Dr. Haruna Mariga, revealed that 10 Local Government Areas in the state have been affected by the floods so far. Although the rainy season has not yet reached its peak, the damage recorded is already alarming, with fears that the situation could worsen as water levels continue to rise.
Dr. Mariga noted that the state government, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has begun distributing relief materials, including food items, to those affected by the disaster.
“As we continue assessing the level of damage in collaboration with NEMA, we are also taking additional measures, including public enlightenment and the construction of embankments, to minimize further damage from the flooding,” Dr. Mariga stated.
He also mentioned that seven temporary Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps have been established, though some victims have chosen to seek refuge with relatives whose homes were not affected by the rainstorm or flooding.
In addition to local government emergency response teams, the Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, has directed the establishment of similar committees across all 280 wards to ensure effective and timely response to any emergency situations.
“The state government has also stocked our warehouses to ensure the timely delivery of emergency relief materials to the victims, particularly in the 17-18 local government areas that are expected to experience flooding,” Dr. Mariga added.
