By Zubairu Idris
Flooding has destroyed many houses and properties worth billions of Naira in Kankia town, Katsina State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
A NAN Correspondent, who monitored the situation observed that the areas worst hit by the disaster included Layi quarters, Kofar Yamma, Gurara, Unguwar Rinji, part of Sabon-birni and Bakin-Kasuwa.
Majority of the houses in those places were completely destroyed, while in other places like part of Sabuwar-Abuja, Kanti and Gachi, it was part of the buildings destroyed.
The affected residents now squat in their neighbours and relatives’ homes.
Some of the victims interviewed, expressed shock over the incident, described it as first in the history for over four decades, and solicited support from the relevant authorities and philanthropists.
Malam Mustapha Suleiman, said that their house and some of their neighbours in Sabon-birni were among those affected by the flooding.
Suleiman attributed the incident to the collapse of a dam in one of the villages, which resulted to overflow of water coming to Kankia dam.
“The dam in Kankia needs desilting and total rehabilitation because it can no longer keep water for long as it was filled up with sand.
“The water coming into the dam, came with heavy force, thereby preventing water from the metropolis moving directly into the dam.
“As a result, the water going out of the town was blocked and had to go back to submarged people’s houses and other buildings, and cause flooding, especially in places like Sabuwar-Abuja, Kanti and Gachi,” he said.
Another resident, Malam Abubakar Abdullahi, told NAN that the magnitude of the disaster was heavier because it was the first time a lot of people were witnessing it in Kankia metropolis.
He attributed the disaster to non evacuation of refuse in drainages and waterways in some of those areas.
Abdullahi further said that following the incident, the dam has already collapsed and submerged some farmlands along with areas, after destroying a lot of houses in the town.
He revealed that the climate change was also a contributing factor to the disaster, hence the need for the residents to continue to take precautionary measures to avert such unfortunate and devastating incident.
When contacted, the Chairman of the council, Alhaji Lawal Abdullahi, said that he had inspected the affected areas since yesterday to assess the situation.
“However, I cannot give you the exact figure of the houses affected for now, we were there yesterday, there is the tendency that other houses also collapsed night or after.
“So, right now, I am with officials of SEMA for an assessment, it is after that I can give you details on the victims families, and our request to the relevant authorities for support of the victims,” he said.
The Chairman, however, described the flooding as devastating, saying that “since he grew up, he had never seen such incident.
“I went to a village after Tafashiya yesterday where half of the village was completely destroyed by flooding.
“It is something from the Almighty Allah, and prayed to Allah to avert future occurrence,” he prayed.
NAN
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