‘Many residents’ killed as heavy rainfall destroys houses in Jigawa

Many residents, including an infant, have been killed following a heavy rainfall that occurred over the past weekend in Jigawa state.

According to NAN, Yusuf Sani, executive secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), confirmed the development on Monday.

Sani said the downpour lingered for three consecutive days, adding that the disaster displaced many residents, destroyed over 1000 houses across the 27 LGAs of the state.

He said seven family members including a newborn baby died as a result of a building collapse that occurred during the heavy rainfall.

He said Kafinhausa and Balangu villages in Kafin Hausa LGA are the most affected areas in the state.

According to him, about 50 persons have been killed by downpour since the beginning of the rainy season.

“In Kafinhausa, six people died, 68 hospitalised and 1,436 lost thier houses, while in Balangu four people died and 238 lost their houses,” he said.

“From the report we have, if you combine the number is getting to 50 since the commencement of the rainy season.”

The executive secretary said some of the residents displaced by the heavy rainfall are currently taking refuge at the houses of relatives while others at the 11 temporary camps across the state.

“There is a camp around Kafinhausa that accommodates over 1,000 displaced persons,” he added.

“Some have over 300, so I cannot tell you the exact number because we are still taking people there.

“Maybe by tomorrow or so I can tell you the exact number of people affected.

“As I was telling you, the disaster occurred in all the 27 LGAs because it’s a matter of rainfall and we had rain for good three days in Jigawa nonstop. So all the 27 LGAs are affected.

“So our personnel are already in the remaining 21 LGAs taking assessment and as soon as we receive the report, we will forward it to NEMA and donor organisations for intervention.”