Flood ravages 400 houses in Kano, displaces 200 households in Plateau

BABATUNDE SCOTT |

No fewer than 400 houses in Bar’kwari community in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of Kano State were ravaged by flood, just as 200 households were displaced in Rikkos community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday.

Spokesman for Kano State Fire Service, Saidu Mohammed, who made this disclosure in an interview on Monday in Kano, said the flood also affected primary schools, animals and foodstuffs, adding that firemen were, however, able to rescue the victims.

“We received a distress call from Hajia Gambo Usman, who lives in the neighbourhood at about 3:22 p.m., reporting that there was flooding in their area.

“On receiving the information, we quickly sent our rescue team and a vehicle to the scene at about 3:38 p.m.,’’ he said.

The official, who said that the flood washed away 400 houses, foodstuffs, animals and schools, added that firemen assisted them by creating way for the water to pass, so as not to affect other houses.

Mohammed, however, urged the public to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse in order to stop blocking the waterways.

He reminded the community of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMET) warning of downpour this year.

In a related development, about 200 households were displaced by flood in Rikkos community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau, following heavy downpour on Sunday afternoon.

Head, Emergency Response Team of the community, Mr Al’Amin Yakubu, who disclosed this on Monday in Jos, said though no life was lost, the flood had destroyed properties and washed away valuables.

“The flood didn’t claim lives, but because it was huge, it displaced over 200 households.

“These households have lost all their properties and are left with nothing,” he said.

He said that the displaced persons were currently staying with neighbours, as no camp had been put in place for them.

Yakubu described the condition of the displaced persons as pathetic, adding that access to food, shelter and clothing is already becoming serious challenge for them.

“As a community, we don’t have the capacity and resources to camp these people; we would have done that pending when government will intervene.

“But we have contacted the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and both have promised to respond soon,” he said.

He said that the agency had already sent its personnel to the affected community to assess the level of damage.